Could ‘Bama QB Mac Jones join former Auburn football stars in NE?

With the 2021 NFL Draft rapidly approaching after the Super Bowl champions have been crowned, there is much speculation about which quarterback will go where. Could Heisman Trophy finalist Mac Jones be headed to New England to join ranks with former Auburn football players?

Possibly.

Quarterbacks are a hot commodity in this year’s draft, and the Patriots are just one of many NFL teams looking to draft a good one. New England thought they struck gold after acquiring former Auburn football player Cam Newton from the Carolina Panthers, but unfortunately, Newton regressed throughout the season.

Because Newton’s agreement with the Patriots was for one year only, it’s likely he won’t be returning to New England for a second season. Despite Newton’s poor performance, backup QB Jarrett Stidham, another former Tiger, did not see much playing time, indicating he probably isn’t the first choice to take over from Newton.

Bleacher Report, among other sites, projects Mac Jones going to the New England Patriots as the #15 pick in the first round. Trevor Lawrence of Clemson, Justin Fields of Ohio State, Trey Lance of North Dakota State, and Zach Wilson of BYU are all seen as superior options to Jones.

Just why is Mac Jones–Heisman finalist, National Champion, Senior Bowl star–being drafted after so many other quarterbacks?

Well, probably because NFL scouts look at the talent around Jones and see lottery talent everywhere as his teammates. No one is saying Mac Jones is not an elite athlete, but it’s probably easier to throw touchdowns when you’re tossing to DeVonta Smith, his fellow Heisman finalist, and eventual winner, and when you’re able to keep defenses on edge because you have the luxury of another Heisman runner-up (he was fifth in voting) in Najee Harris.

According to MassLive.com, Jones stood out in Senior Bowl practices despite sitting out the actual game and did show an exceptional level of talent without his Alabama teammates. Jones was able to meet with all 32 teams at the Senior Bowl, and he seemed to have butterflies when talking about the Patriots:

Although there’s potential for Mac Jones to be drafted earlier than #15, an Alabama-Auburn football duo at the quarterback position in New England could definitely be interesting.

And it’s possible.