In the wake of the 2021 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots orchestrated a union between the Tigers and the Tide by selecting former Alabama QB Mac Jones to join former Auburn football greats, Cam Newton and Jarrett Stidham.
Although there were some questions as to whether or not Cam would be returning to the Pats after a season that was highly affected by COVID-19, he re-upped with New England for another year.
And while Bill Belichick liked what he saw from Newton in the offseason, there’s no QB1 set in stone heading into the 2021 season.
Mac Jones was the No. 15 overall pick in the first round, going after the No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, and Justin Fields. His abilities were questioned heading into the draft–with much talk of the talent that surrounded Jones on the field throughout his time at Alabama–but it doesn’t mean that he won’t be able to compete with Cam.
While Newton will probably be the Pats’ starter heading into the 2021 season, he is probably not the long-term solution for Belichick, presenting Jones’ chance to slide into the QB1 position.
For now, Auburn football fans can feel pretty comfortable clowning Mac Jones, and they took the opportunity when the Patriots released the first official photos of their draftee on the field.
Cam’s ball boy https://t.co/bs0yokrQj6
— Auburn Memes (@AuburnMemes) May 15, 2021
https://t.co/b1gqBrZuiQ pic.twitter.com/JUeGlmvvWG
— Tyler Bradshaw (@TyBrad5) May 16, 2021
— Skye Underwood (@SkyeUnderwood) May 16, 2021
According to Bleacher Report, Cam Newton is the favorite to start in the coming season due to Mac Jones’ rookie status. It will be a tough competition over the summer as Newton attempts to prove himself as QB1 and overcome his COVID-19 struggles while Mac Jones must be nearly perfect to earn that first-team spot:
"Appearing on Saturday’s edition of SportsCenter, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is “bullish” on veteran quarterback Cam Newton despite his struggles last season.Fowler added that Newton is the favorite to earn and keep the starting job this season until Jones’ on-field work becomes “undeniable.”"
Personally, we wish the best for Mac Jones, but we’re also going to keep rooting for our Auburn man Cam Newton.