Would the Panthers be Reaching by Taking Mac Jones at No. 8?
There's no question that the Carolina Panthers are going to explore every possible option at the quarterback position this offseason. They will look at every route imaginable to find their quarterback of the future. Whether it be via free agency, trade, or the 2021 NFL Draft, Carolina will be searching.
One of those options could be Alabama quarterback, Mac Jones. The Panthers' coaching staff is getting to work with him and a couple of other quarterbacks throughout the week but it's no secret that Rhule likes what he sees in Jones.
"The guy was just playing two weeks ago and the fact that he's here, I think speaks a lot about who he is," Rhule said of Jones. "You have a chance to see his intelligence, he makes really quick decisions, he processes information quickly - he's an alpha. He's the first guy on the practice field, he's the first guy in the runnings so he's got a lot of really strong traits. Mobility is important. I thought yesterday he slid in the pocket, moved around. I thought he had good mobility."
Jones is more of a traditional pocket passer that doesn't provide that dual-threat ability. He can move some but he's not going to be able to extend plays as easily or make plays happen with his feet like Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Zach Wilson, or Trey Lance. A lot of what he does will heavily rely on his arm and decision-making. With that said, Jones has looked really good during this week's Senior Bowl practice. He's putting great touch on the ball, leading his receivers, completing passes in tight windows, and has a stronger arm than most give him credit for.
Many are hesitant to give Jones the love he deserves because he played at Alabama with a roster that is full of five-star players. The guys on the telecast of yesterday's practice made a good point though. At LSU, Joe Burrow had Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, yet everyone loved Burrow and made him the consensus No. 1 overall pick.
As much as that makes sense, Burrow is clearly the better talent and I'm not sure it's really close. Mac Jones may end up having a solid NFL career but coming into the league, he's not nearly as game-ready as Burrow.
So, would taking him with the eighth pick mean the Panthers are reaching?
In terms of true value, yes. Jones is not a top ten player in this draft, let alone the 8th best player in this draft. But we've learned over the years that true value doesn't really matter in the draft when it comes to quarterbacks. It all comes down to whether or not you believe the guy you want will still be there if you pass on him early.
Personally, Mac Jones is growing on me. I wasn't that much of a believer in him until this week. I've watched a lot of his film earlier in the week and his performance so far at the Senior Bowl has me believing he could be a top 20 pick, maybe higher. If Jones continues to trend in that direction, I don't think it would be a "stretch" for the Panthers to take him at No. 8. With that said, I'm still not 100% sold on him being worthy of that selection.
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