NFL Draft 2021: 49ers, 4 other teams who may want Mac Jones
By Peter Panacy
There are essentially five quarterbacks sitting atop the 2021 NFL Draft:
- Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
- Zach Wilson, BYU
- Justin Fields, Ohio State
- Trey Lance, North Dakota State
- Mac Jones, Alabama
Despite trading up to the No. 3 overall spot and having an open path to at least three of those names, the bulk of rumor and speculation is pointing to the San Francisco 49ers wanting Jones, easily the fifth best out of those five, and there’s a pretty sizable gap between the talent and potential levels between him and the other four.
The Niners have reportedly not made a full decision on who they want yet, and the front office is keeping things awfully tight-lipped.
Yet all that speculation can’t be ignored.
It’s also possible, however, San Francisco is trying to sew some confusion among some of the other quarterback-needy teams selecting behind it at No. 3, which is always a case on draft day. Rarely is it a good idea to telegraph your plans, and the 49ers could be creating an NFL Draft smokescreen because, well… they can and want to.
So let’s look at the Niners’ apparent interest in Jones while also evaluating four other teams who could be paying close attention to that interest San Francisco is speculated to have.
No. 5: San Francisco 49ers need a quarterback in the NFL Draft
Teams don’t trade away two future first-round NFL Draft picks, plus a third rounder, to do anything but draft a quarterback. All that’s left is to decide which prospect winds up being selected.
Jones has the highest floor out of the trio of him, Fields and Lance, although the former lacks the playmaking potential the other two possess. That said, Jones is more than poised within the pocket and has the football IQ to master head coach Kyle Shanahan’s complex offense.
And when it comes to prioritizing a quarterback’s skill set, Shanahan will go with accuracy and proper decision-making over pure athleticism and sheer potential.
Shanahan has worked with many a traditional pocket quarterback, such as the 49ers’ own, Jimmy Garoppolo, along with fellow QBs like the Atlanta Falcons‘ Matt Ryan and the Minnesota Vikings’ Kirk Cousins.
If there’s any quarterback in this year’s class who epitomizes those three, it’s Jones.