FAYETTEVILLE, AR – DECEMBER 12: Mac Jones #10 of the Alabama Crimson Tide looks to the sidelines for the play in the first half of a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Razorback Stadium on December 12, 2020 in Fayetteville, Arkansas (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)Of all the quarterback prospects in this year’s draft class, none have seen their stock rise more than Mac Jones. Is the pre-draft hype warranted? Not if you ask one NFL Network analyst.
We all know how the first two picks of the 2021 NFL Draft will probably shake out. The real mystery begins at pick No. 3, which is now held by the San Francisco 49ers who are targeting a quarterback. There’s three prospects in the mix: Justin Fields, Trey Lance and Jones.
A year ago, Fields would’ve been a no-brainer for the Niners, followed by Lance who had a tremendous career at North Dakota State. Fast forward to now, Jones is gaining major steam to be in play at pick No. 3. NFL Network analyst Bucky Brooks doesn’t understand the hype, though.
Brooks believes Jones’ play was massively propped up by his supporting cast at Alabama, which is true. The same could be said for Tua Tagovailoa, who struggled mightily during his NFL rookie season last year.
“The first round of the NFL draft is generally reserved for superheroes,” Brooks explained, via NFL.com. “And the prospects with the most extraordinary physical gifts are viewed within the scouting community as top-10 talents due to their ability to transform franchises. With that standard in mind, I just don’t understand why Mac Jones is being hailed as a potential top-five pick in the 2021 class.”
Brooks even went as far to say Jones is like the fictional Marvel superhero, Iron Man. Iron Man, without the suit, is just Tony Stark. Brooks compared Tony Stark to Jones, who isn’t the same player without being surrounded by a bunch of five-star players at Alabama.
“Now, of course, many of the other quarterbacks in this class played alongside five-star talents, but Jones lacks superpowers as a player himself,” Brooks continued. “What happens to Tony Stark when you take away his suit?”
If Jones’ success depends on how strong his supporting cast is, that could spell trouble for his NFL career.