Why the 49ers Can't Draft Mac Jones
Mac Jones is a good quarterback.
He's deadly accurate, he throws with tremendous anticipation and he's an excellent decision-maker.
But he's not exciting. Not big. Not fast. Not the quarterback fans want the 49ers to draft. He doesn't even have a strong arm.
If the 49ers take Jones, fans would be bitterly disappointed, other NFL teams would be completely baffled and most national media members would give the 49ers a big, fat "F" for their pick. And Kyle Shanahan would immediately be on the hot seat. And Mac Jones would have to start and play well right away as a rookie for Shanahan to look smart.
But quarterbacks with Jones' limited skillset typically don't pan out in the NFL. We're talking pocket quarterbacks with average arm strength. Sure, he could be the next Drew Brees. But people have been waiting 20 years for the next Brees. That player might never come.
And here's the thing: Jones is no Brees. He may not even be better than a pocket quarterback the 49ers already have on their roster -- Josh Rosen.
Rosen is merely a year and a half older than Jones, and has a much stronger arm and lots more experience. Jones essentially was a one-year starter in college, and he certainly put up great numbers. But he went to Alabama, which is a college All Star team.
Rosen went to UCLA, which is a basketball school. Had Rosen gone to Alabama, he would have played with first-round wide receivers and put up great numbers, too.
And had Jones gone to UCLA, he probably wouldn't be a first-round prospect. We wouldn't even know who he is. He might not even have a cool nickname like "Mac." He'd probably be McCorkle the mediocre quarterback.
The 49ers absolutely can't draft him. And I doubt they will.
