Alabama Football: Mac Jones paired with Damien Harris once again
By Dakota Cox
The Patriots will have an Alabama football tandem on offense
Mac Jones went to the New England Patriots in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and he won’t be the only Alabama football player on the roster. In fact, he won’t even be the only Tide graduate in New England’s backfield.
Jones is once again teammates with Damien Harris, a former Alabama football running back and team captain. Harris was drafted by the Patriots in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. In his second season, he averaged 5 yards per carry for New England.
A running joke when they were teammates was that Harris was Jones’s dad. They haven’t been teammates for two years, but they will now be working for the same team again in the NFL.
It’s an honor to call you my son. I am truly blessed to have you in my life.. #Federal https://t.co/D2WXRccUgj
— Damien Harris (@DHx34) June 17, 2018
The best thing you can give a franchise quarterback is familiarity and comfort. Having one of your closest teammates in your huddle will be great once Mac Jones becomes New England’s starting quarterback.
There are also other Alabama football players in New England. The Patriots drafted Anfernee Jennings in 2020, and Dont’a Hightower will return after opting out of last season. As a part of Jones’s draft class, Christian Barmore will also be joining the squad.
Mac Jones said that he secretly wanted to be drafted by the New England Patriots, and you have to think that Damien Harris was part of the reason why. These friends will be together through training camps, practices and grueling NFL seasons. He will have chemistry with another future cornerstone of the franchise as soon as he enters the building.
This is one of many pairings of college teammates in this year’s draft. Jaylen Waddle went to Miami, where Tua Tagovailoa is the quarterback. Jalen Hurts and DeVonta Smith are back together in Philadelphia. The Jaguars drafted both Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne in the first round, and Ja’Marr Chase went to Cincinnati with Joe Burrow.
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The fit is great for Mac Jones, but Alabama football fans will be happy to see two Tide captains on the same team in New England.