Mac Jones might not be available by the time these NFL teams draft
While mock drafts are fun, it only takes one trade to flip the script of the 2021 NFL Draft. We’ve seen teams trade for all sorts of players, but it mostly happens when teams are looking to secure their franchise quarterback. The Chiefs did it to land Patrick Mahomes. The Eagles traded to draft Carson Wentz. With the way the draft order currently looks, we could see some movement by April.
Multiple teams are looking to secure the next star quarterback, but it takes two teams to make a trade. With teams like the Dolphins and the Bengals drafting quarterbacks last season, there is potential for movement in the 2021 NFL Draft.
With Mac Jones’s NFL draft stock rising, a top team might have to trade up to land him. With that in mind, these NFL teams should trade up to draft Alabama football’s Mac Jones.
3. Carolina Panthers
Carolina is known for taking risks with this new ownership group, and this would certainly be a risk. There is a decent chance that Jones is available when the Panthers draft at 8th overall, but that is far from a guarantee.
The Panthers might want a more athletic quarterback, but they have more experience with Mac Jones than most NFL teams. They coached him at the Senior Bowl, and they spoke highly of him there. They saw how he approached the game, and they know he has the traits necessary to succeed.
This is less likely than the other teams looking to trade, but it makes plenty of sense.