In the history of the NFL Draft's modern era, an Alabama quarterback has never been selected within the first three picks. But is this the year it finally happens, with Mac Jones becoming the answer to a new sports trivia question?
CBS Sports NFL writer Ryan Wilson joined The DA Show on Friday to break down Jones' draft candidacy, as well as other top prospects.
"If you can get past the physical appearance, Mac Jones for me -- and when I talk to teams, this is what they say -- they can't believe how smart he is," Wilson said. "Yeah, he's football smart for a guy coming out of college, but they feel like he's five, six, seven years into his NFL career, that type of smart. He rarely makes mistakes. The ball comes out of his hands to the right player, on time, consistently. And I've been saying this for a while -- and I was talking to people close to Alabama about this -- he was better at Alabama than Tua [Tagovailoa] was.
"And the funny thing is, people had no concerns with Tua being a top-five pick last year, except for the hip [injury]. But when you compare these guys in terms of their physical skills, they're pretty similar, Mac Jones and Tua Tagovailoa. Neither has a strong arm. Neither is a runner... The only difference is -- and we've heard [Alabama receivers] DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle say this privately to teams, according to reports, they were asked who they want, Mac or Tua -- they both said Mac. So, that gives you some indication that Mac's just not some guy out there excelling in a high-powered offense.
"And teams actually feel that. I talked to teams back in December, before the smokescreen season started, that thought he was a top-10 talent. And here we are. We'll see exactly what happens. So, that's what I like about Mac -- the decision-making, the pre-snap understanding of what he needs to do..."
Jones, who led the Crimson Tide to a national championship this past January, is currently ranked the 14th-best prospect on Pro Football Focus' NFL Draft Big Board. In 13 games last season, the 6-foot-3, 214-pound junior threw for 4,500 yards with 41 touchdowns, just four interceptions, and a completion percentage of 77.4.
Despite his overall ranking in this year's class, there's a legitimate chance Jones is taken at No. 3 by the San Francisco 49ers. The consensus around the league is that the team is rather intrigued by Jones' numbers and skillset, and 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch attended Jones' pro day workout in Tuscaloosa just four days after shaking up the draft order via a trade with the Miami Dolphins in late March.
The entire NFL Draft conversation between Wilson and DA can be accessed in the video and audio players above.
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