We already have our off-season thread, but obviously we're going to have a ton of information to process regarding the specific move by the Bears regarding the quarterback position in 2021 regarding the draft (no more need to talk about Mitch or Foles here in this thread). Let's keep these discussions separate, here.
We need to go all O in this draft. And I mean it. QB, T, G, WR, RB...can we draft HC too?
We're in a tough position for sure. Normally it would be draft the best player available. But the offense is pretty much in full-blown crisis mode now. Beggars can't be choosers. Gotta grab what we can on offense and hope for the best now. What a mess. Pace took over a team with an offense that was 23rd in the NFL in scoring. He' worked 6 year now, and we're 31st in the NFL in scoring.
We need to go all O in this draft. And I mean it. QB, T, G, WR, RB...can we draft HC too?
We're in a tough position for sure. Normally it would be draft the best player available. But the offense is pretty much in full-blown crisis mode now. Beggars can't be choosers. Gotta grab what we can on offense and hope for the best now. What a mess. Pace took over a team with an offense that was 23rd in the NFL in scoring. He' worked 6 year now, and we're 31st in the NFL in scoring.
Some people don't seem to appreciate how bad it is.
QB: We have NOTHING. Literally nothing. 2 of our 3 current QBs are off the roster in a few months and the 3rd (Foles) should be but we are stuck with him due to dead cap cost. We are done to scrounging thru the scrap heap for garbage backups like Kizer.
OT: Perhaps the 2nd hardest position to fill after QB and we need at least 1, possibly 2, next year. Definitely 2 by 2022.
WR: Robinson is gone, bank on that (reasons are obvious). Miller will be in the final year of his contract and he hasn't lived up to expectations. Wims is a goner. Ridley can't seem to get on the field. Not a pretty picture, is it?
TE: Need one to replace Graham
RG: Need one, Coward is trash
Nagy: BLOWS CHUNKS, needs to go bye-bye
Does that pretty much sum up the needs on offense? Since we don't have 5 picks in the first 2 rounds of the draft, I kinda think that's not a quick, 1-year turnaroud.
We're in a tough position for sure. Normally it would be draft the best player available. But the offense is pretty much in full-blown crisis mode now. Beggars can't be choosers. Gotta grab what we can on offense and hope for the best now. What a mess. Pace took over a team with an offense that was 23rd in the NFL in scoring. He' worked 6 year now, and we're 31st in the NFL in scoring.
Some people don't seem to appreciate how bad it is.
QB: We have NOTHING. Literally nothing. 2 of our 3 current QBs are off the roster in a few months and the 3rd (Foles) should be but we are stuck with him due to dead cap cost. We are done to scrounging thru the scrap heap for garbage backups like Kizer.
OT: Perhaps the 2nd hardest position to fill after QB and we need at least 1, possibly 2, next year. Definitely 2 by 2022.
WR: Robinson is gone, bank on that (reasons are obvious). Miller will be in the final year of his contract and he hasn't lived up to expectations. Wims is a goner. Ridley can't seem to get on the field. Not a pretty picture, is it?
TE: Need one to replace Graham
RG: Need one, Coward is trash
Nagy: BLOWS CHUNKS, needs to go bye-bye
Does that pretty much sum up the needs on offense? Since we don't have 5 picks in the first 2 rounds of the draft, I kinda think that's not a quick, 1-year turnaroud.
Yeah, it's a mess. I was looking over our starting O roster when Pace was hired. I can't see where he has improved it. In fact I would take that 2014 roster over the one we have now. Not that the O was great then. It wasn't. But it sure hasn't been improved upon in 6 years of Pace.
How many years does it take to improve an offense if the GM is competent? Six hasn't been enough. Ten? Fifteen years? LOL. In six years we should see SOME evidence of competence. Something. Anything. But we've got nothing. We have (as of this week) the 31st ranked offense in the NFL. We have a butt-ugly group of clowns to watch on gamedays. After 6 years we have an offense that is embarrassing to watch. Pace should be ashamed. And if Nagy is part of the blame... well, who hired Nagy and these pitiful coaches? Pace.
Some people don't seem to appreciate how bad it is.
QB: We have NOTHING. Literally nothing. 2 of our 3 current QBs are off the roster in a few months and the 3rd (Foles) should be but we are stuck with him due to dead cap cost. We are done to scrounging thru the scrap heap for garbage backups like Kizer.
OT: Perhaps the 2nd hardest position to fill after QB and we need at least 1, possibly 2, next year. Definitely 2 by 2022.
WR: Robinson is gone, bank on that (reasons are obvious). Miller will be in the final year of his contract and he hasn't lived up to expectations. Wims is a goner. Ridley can't seem to get on the field. Not a pretty picture, is it?
TE: Need one to replace Graham
RG: Need one, Coward is trash
Nagy: BLOWS CHUNKS, needs to go bye-bye
Does that pretty much sum up the needs on offense? Since we don't have 5 picks in the first 2 rounds of the draft, I kinda think that's not a quick, 1-year turnaroud.
Yeah, it's a mess. I was looking over our starting O roster when Pace was hired. I can't see where he has improved it. In fact I would take that 2014 roster over the one we have now. Not that the O was great then. It wasn't. But it sure hasn't been improved upon in 6 years of Pace.
How many years does it take to improve an offense if the GM is competent? Six hasn't been enough. Ten? Fifteen years? LOL. In six years we should see SOME evidence of competence. Something. Anything. But we've got nothing. We have (as of this week) the 31st ranked offense in the NFL. We have a butt-ugly group of clowns to watch on gamedays. After 6 years we have an offense that is embarrassing to watch. Pace should be ashamed. And if Nagy is part of the blame... well, who hired Nagy and these pitiful coaches? Pace.
Pace should be FIRED plain and simple. This isn't complicated. You explained it very well.
Some people don't seem to appreciate how bad it is.
QB: We have NOTHING. Literally nothing. 2 of our 3 current QBs are off the roster in a few months and the 3rd (Foles) should be but we are stuck with him due to dead cap cost. We are done to scrounging thru the scrap heap for garbage backups like Kizer.
OT: Perhaps the 2nd hardest position to fill after QB and we need at least 1, possibly 2, next year. Definitely 2 by 2022.
WR: Robinson is gone, bank on that (reasons are obvious). Miller will be in the final year of his contract and he hasn't lived up to expectations. Wims is a goner. Ridley can't seem to get on the field. Not a pretty picture, is it?
TE: Need one to replace Graham
RG: Need one, Coward is trash
Nagy: BLOWS CHUNKS, needs to go bye-bye
Does that pretty much sum up the needs on offense? Since we don't have 5 picks in the first 2 rounds of the draft, I kinda think that's not a quick, 1-year turnaroud.
Yeah, it's a mess. I was looking over our starting O roster when Pace was hired. I can't see where he has improved it. In fact I would take that 2014 roster over the one we have now. Not that the O was great then. It wasn't. But it sure hasn't been improved upon in 6 years of Pace.
How many years does it take to improve an offense if the GM is competent? Six hasn't been enough. Ten? Fifteen years? LOL. In six years we should see SOME evidence of competence. Something. Anything. But we've got nothing. We have (as of this week) the 31st ranked offense in the NFL. We have a butt-ugly group of clowns to watch on gamedays. After 6 years we have an offense that is embarrassing to watch. Pace should be ashamed. And if Nagy is part of the blame... well, who hired Nagy and these pitiful coaches? Pace.
Yeah, it's a mess. I was looking over our starting O roster when Pace was hired. I can't see where he has improved it. In fact I would take that 2014 roster over the one we have now. Not that the O was great then. It wasn't. But it sure hasn't been improved upon in 6 years of Pace.
How many years does it take to improve an offense if the GM is competent? Six hasn't been enough. Ten? Fifteen years? LOL. In six years we should see SOME evidence of competence. Something. Anything. But we've got nothing. We have (as of this week) the 31st ranked offense in the NFL. We have a butt-ugly group of clowns to watch on gamedays. After 6 years we have an offense that is embarrassing to watch. Pace should be ashamed. And if Nagy is part of the blame... well, who hired Nagy and these pitiful coaches? Pace.
And who hired Pace ? ....... Ted Phillips !
+1
Excellent point. And I agree. Ted Phillips has done an abysmal job. I wonder if the McCaskeys would replace him? Maybe. I don't know. But your point is well taken.
Trevor Lawrence*, QB, Clemson Height: 6-6. Weight: 220. Projected 40 Time: 4.6. Projected Round (2021): No. 1. View Ranking History 12/1/20: Lawrence has made some beautiful throws this season, showing off his powerful arm, accuracy, and an impressive ability to throw on the run. His deep ball has been superb. Lawrence has completed 71 percent of his passes this season for 2,236 yards, 19 touchdowns passing and two interceptions. He also has four rushing touchdowns. Lawrence tested positive for COVID-19, so Clemson ruled him out against Boston College and Notre Dame.
8/29/20: In 2019, Lawrence completed 66 percent of his passes for 3,665 yards with 36 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also ran for 563 yards and nine touchdowns while leading Clemson back to the National Championship Game. Lawrence showed further development as a passer and as a team leader.
Lawrence took college football by storm as a freshman in 2018, compiling a superb season that culminated with him ripping Alabama's defense comprised of NFL talent to win another National Championship for Clemson. Lawrence completed 65 percent of his passes that season for 3,280 yards with 30 touchdowns and four interceptions.
Lawrence has a good arm, developed poise, and play-making ability. He also makes good decisions while distributing the ball well to his phenomenal supporting cast. Unless Lawrence gets injured, he should have another massive season and has the potential to be the best quarterback prospect to enter the NFL since Andrew Luck. Career Passing Stats Season G Att Com Int Yds TDs Eff Com/G Yds/C Pct Yds/G 2020-Clemson 8 250 173 3 2431 20 175 21.62 14.1 69.2 304 2019-Clemson 15 407 268 8 3665 36 167 17.87 13.7 65.8 244 2018-Clemson 15 397 259 4 3280 30 158 17.27 12.7 65.2 219 Career Rushing Stats Season Games Att Yds Yds/Rsh TDs Yds/Game 2020-Clemson 8 44 121 2.8 6 15.1 2019-Clemson 15 103 563 5.5 9 37.5 2018-Clemson 15 60 177 3 1 11.8 Passing Stats Game Log Game Result Comp/Att Yds TDs Int Eff Yds/Comp Pct 9/12/20-@ Wake Forest W 37 - 13 22/28 351 1 0 195.7 16 78.6 9/19/20-The Citadel W 49 - 0 8/9 168 3 0 355.7 21 88.9 10/03/20-Virginia W 41 - 23 25/38 329 3 0 164.6 13.2 65.8 10/10/20-Miami (FL) W 42 - 17 29/41 292 3 0 154.7 10.1 70.7 10/17/20-@ Georgia Tech W 73 - 7 24/32 404 5 1 226.4 16.8 75 10/24/20-Syracuse W 47 - 21 27/43 289 2 1 129.9 10.7 62.8 10/31/20-Boston College W 34 - 28 0/0 0 0 0 11/07/20-@ Notre Dame L 40 - 47 (2OT) 0/0 0 0 0 11/21/20-@ Florida St. - 0/0 0 0 0 11/28/20-Pittsburgh W 52 - 17 26/37 403 2 0 179.6 15.5 70.3 12/05/20-@ Virginia Tech W 45 - 10 12/22 195 1 1 134.9 16.3 54.5 12/19/20-Notre Dame @charlotte, NC - 0/0 0 0 0
Justin Fields*, QB, Ohio State Height: 6-3. Weight: 223. Projected 40 Time: 4.62. Projected Round (2021): Top-10. View Ranking History 12/1/20: Fields has dominated Nebraska, Penn State and Rutgers this season. He played poorly against Indiana, tossing three interceptions and displaying problems with operating in the pocket. He has been an accurate passer, showing serious arm talent, but he really needs vast improvement in his pocket awareness for the NFL. Fields has issues reacting to the blitz and not taking short easy completions while waiting to throw downfield. In 2020, Fields has completed 80 percent of his passes for 1,208 yards with 13 touchdowns and three interceptions. He has three rushing scores as well.
Fields' development as a football player may be slowed down for the NFL by the Big Ten's rescheduled, shortened season, so his pro team is going to be patient with him and understand there could be some growing pains as he will enter the next level with less than two full seasons of starting experience.
8/29/20: Fields has a dynamic skill set with natural passing ability and is a dangerous runner. He is an accurate quarterback with a strong arm, is aggressive to push the ball downfield, and is a playmaker with his feet. In speaking with some team sources, we agreed Fields looks like a bigger Deshaun Watson. Fields needs development and refinement. He especially needs to improve at executing when faced with heavy blitzes.
Fields was one of the top recruits in the nation alongside Trevor Lawrence. To start out his college career, Fields played at Georgia before transferring to Ohio State. In 2019, Fields took over as the Buckeyes' starting quarterback and dominated. The sophomore completed 67 percent of his passes on the season for 3,273 yards with 41 touchdowns and three interceptions. He also ran for 484 yards and 10 scores. In Fields' one season at Georgia, he was 27-of-39 for 328 yards with four touchdowns passing and four touchdowns rushing. Career Passing Stats Season G Att Com Int Yds TDs Eff Com/G Yds/C Pct Yds/G 2020-Ohio St. 5 137 107 3 1407 15 196 21.40 13.2 78.1 281 2019-Ohio St. 14 354 238 3 3273 41 181 17.00 13.8 67.2 234 2018-Georgia 12 39 27 0 328 4 174 2.25 12.1 69.2 27 Career Rushing Stats Season Games Att Yds Yds/Rsh TDs Yds/Game 2020-Ohio St. 5 55 239 4.4 5 47.8 2019-Ohio St. 14 137 484 3.5 10 34.6 2018-Georgia 12 42 266 6.3 4 22.2 Passing Stats Game Log Game Result Comp/Att Yds TDs Int Eff Yds/Comp Pct 10/24/20-Nebraska W 52 - 17 20/21 276 2 0 237.1 13.8 95.2 10/31/20-@ Penn St. W 38 - 25 28/34 318 4 0 199.7 11.4 82.4 11/07/20-Rutgers W 49 - 27 24/28 314 5 0 238.8 13.1 85.7 11/21/20-Indiana W 42 - 35 18/30 300 2 3 146 16.7 60 12/05/20-@ Michigan St. W 52 - 12 17/24 199 2 0 168 11.7 70.8 12/12/20-Michigan - 0/0 0 0 0
Trey Lance**, QB, North Dakota State Height: 6-3. Weight: 221. Projected 40 Time: 4.65. Projected Round (2021): 1. View Ranking History 12/1/20: In his one game of the 2020 season, Lance had a mixed outing. He missed some throws and made some mistakes, but considering the rust factor those issues are somewhat understandable. Lance completed 15-of-30 passes for 149 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He ran for 143 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries. After his one game, he announced he is entering the 2021 NFL Draft. Lance will need a lot of practice time with pro coaches. He has a great skill set with arm strength, size, running ability, and upside.
8/29/20: Lance produced a huge redshirt freshman season in 2019, completing 67 percent of his passes for 2,786 yards with 28 touchdowns and zero interceptions. He also ran for 1,100 yards with 14 touchdowns on the ground - his rushing yardage was actually bigger, but college football deducts sack yardage from a quarterback's rushing totals.
From a skill-set perspective, Lance fits in with other other recent first-round prospects. His size, arm strength, running ability, and big-play potential are in line with other recent Thursday picks. As a passer, Lance definitely has next-level ability.
Lance has a strong arm capable of making all the throws for the pros. He shows the ability to fire fastballs to the sideline and has no problem airing out deep balls. Overall, Lance has good accuracy, and his deep-ball precision is very impressive. One of Lance's impressive traits from 2019, especially for such a young player, was his poise. Lance looked very calm in the pocket, and when the rush was closing around him, it seemed to be a non-factor for him.
In speaking to some team sources who saw Lance in person while scouting North Dakota State, they feel the potential is there for Lance, but they also need to see more before feeling he is worthy of being a high first-round pick. As of late August, North Dakota State is going to play one football game in the fall. Lance needs more experience and development, but most of the season is gone because foolish decision makers in college football were looking to protect their job security over considering the science that football players are more likely to die in a car accident driving to practice than from COVID-19.
"I think [Lance is] a very good player, but at that position, I'm a firm believer in body of work and he has a very small sample size at this point," said a national scout. "He's got tools to work, and he's not the first young pup to be pushed up. Every year there's someone, but we have to let it play out."
"Recent history has not been kind to the 1-year-wonder surge guys. It has not been ideal for the picks of guys like Mitch Trubisky, Blake Bortles, Dwayne Haskins, DeShone Kizer, Paxton Lynch, etc. At [Lance's] level of competition, you definitely want to have more than good season. I like him though, but not ready to crown him just yet." Career Passing Stats Season G Att Com Int Yds TDs Eff Com/G Yds/C Pct Yds/G 2020-North Dakota St. 1 30 15 1 149 2 107 15.00 9.9 50 149 2019-North Dakota St. 16 287 192 0 2786 28 181 12.00 14.5 66.9 174 2018-North Dakota St. 2 1 1 0 12 0 201 0.50 12 100 6 Career Rushing Stats Season Games Att Yds Yds/Rsh TDs Yds/Game 2020-North Dakota St. 1 15 143 9.5 2 143 2019-North Dakota St. 16 169 1100 6.5 14 68.8 2018-North Dakota St. 2 8 82 10.3 2 41 Passing Stats Game Log Game Result Comp/Att Yds TDs Int Eff Yds/Comp Pct 10/03/20-Central Ark. W 39 - 28 15/30 149 2 1 107.1 9.9 50
Zach Wilson*, QB, BYU Height: 6-3. Weight: 203. Projected 40 Time: 4.79. Projected Round (2021): 1-2. View Ranking History 12/1/20: Wilson has played well, dominating a lot of weak competition this season. There is a lot to like about Wilson for the NFL. He has a quality arm capable of making all the throws and an ability to push the ball downfield. In the short to intermediate part of the field, Wilson can spin the ball and fire some fastballs into tight windows. He also is capable of putting air under the ball to loft in touch passes. Wilson is an accurate passer who displays quality footwork that leads to him tossing precision passes. He is not an elite runner for the next level in the mold of a Lamar Jackson, but he has mobility with some quickness and athleticism to buy time in the pocket and pick up some first downs on the ground.
Wilson has some things to work on still, like any collegiate player. Speeding up his process and working through his progressions faster would help him to succeed at the pro level. There are plays on which he holds the ball too long, so he needs to get passes out more quickly. Wilson has the luxury of a good offensive line at BYU, with multiple players who will compete to make NFL rosters, but at the pro level, he should avoid putting as much pressure on his blockers against NFL pass rushers.
While Wilson has enough size to be a starting quarterback, and it would be a good idea for him to add some weight to his frame to help him avoid injury at the pro level. In the 2021 NFL Draft, Wilson is worthy of being at least a second-round pick and could end up being a mid- to late first-rounder.
8/29/20: NFL advance scouts put Wilson on their preseason watch list, so they saw enough on tape and on the field to believe that he has pro potential. Wilson threw the ball accurately over his first two years, but he needs to cut down on interceptions and show the ability to produce more points. Career Passing Stats Season G Att Com Int Yds TDs Eff Com/G Yds/C Pct Yds/G 2020-BYU 10 267 195 3 2964 27 197 19.50 15.2 73 296 2019-BYU 9 319 199 9 2382 11 131 22.11 12 62.4 265 2018-BYU 9 182 120 3 1578 12 157 13.33 13.2 65.9 175 Career Rushing Stats Season Games Att Yds Yds/Rsh TDs Yds/Game 2020-BYU 10 61 246 4 8 24.6 2019-BYU 9 67 167 2.5 3 18.6 2018-BYU 9 75 221 3 2 24.6 Passing Stats Game Log Game Result Comp/Att Yds TDs Int Eff Yds/Comp Pct 9/07/20-@ Navy W 55 - 3 13/18 232 2 1 206 17.8 72.2 9/19/20-@ Army West Point - 0/0 0 0 0 9/26/20-Troy W 48 - 7 23/27 392 2 0 231.6 17 85.2 10/02/20-Louisiana Tech W 45 - 14 24/26 325 2 0 222.7 13.5 92.3 10/10/20-UTSA W 27 - 20 22/30 292 2 0 177.1 13.3 73.3 10/16/20-@ Houston W 43 - 26 25/35 400 4 0 205.1 16 71.4 10/24/20-Texas St. W 52 - 14 19/25 287 4 0 225.2 15.1 76 10/31/20-Western Ky. W 41 - 10 18/32 224 3 1 139.7 12.4 56.2 11/06/20-@ Boise St. W 51 - 17 22/28 360 3 0 221.9 16.4 78.6 11/21/20-North Ala. W 66 - 14 10/16 212 4 0 256.3 21.2 62.5 12/05/20-@ Coastal Carolina L 17 - 22 19/30 240 1 1 134.9 12.6 63.3 12/12/20-San Diego St. - 0/0 0 0 0
Kyle Trask, QB, Florida Height: 6-5. Weight: 239. Projected 40 Time: 4.8. Projected Round (2021): 2-4. View Ranking History 12/1/20: Trask has been excellent in 2020, dominating Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Arkansas while also carrying Florida to a win over Georgia in which he threw for almost 500 yards. He has thrown for six touchdowns twice this season and has not thrown fewer than three touchdown passes in any game. Three directors of college scouting and a national scout have told me that Trask is a better pocket passer than Justin Fields, in part because Trask lacks mobility, so he has developed good pocket awareness.
Trask has showed serious pocket-passing ability for the NFL. He has been very accurate with impressive ball placement, timing, field vision, and has made good decisions. Helped by a powerful arm capable of making touch passes, Trask has put on display some natural passing ability in every game. Trask's lack of mobility and teams viewing him as a statue in the pocket are hurting him, but team sources think Trask could be a riser if has a huge senior year.
8/29/20: Florida's offense improved in 2019 when Trask replaced Feleipe Franks. Trask could have beaten out Franks for the job a year earlier if it weren't for an injury suffered in practice after a hit by Jabari Zuniga. In 2019, Trask made good decisions as a passer and was efficient to distribute the ball to a deep group of receivers.
Trask has a thick build, a strong arm, good height and pocket presence, plus draws rave reviews for his character and work ethic. Trask could be a riser in 2020 now that he has more experience and more tutelage from quarterback expert Dan Mullen. Career Passing Stats Season G Att Com Int Yds TDs Eff Com/G Yds/C Pct Yds/G 2020-Florida 9 322 230 3 3243 38 193 25.56 14.1 71.4 360 2019-Florida 12 354 237 7 2941 25 156 19.75 12.4 66.9 245 2018-Florida 4 22 14 0 162 1 140 3.50 11.6 63.6 41 2017-Florida 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 2016-Florida 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 Career Rushing Stats Season Games Att Yds Yds/Rsh TDs Yds/Game 2020-Florida 9 39 78 2 0 8.7 2019-Florida 12 63 8 .1 4 .7 2018-Florida 4 5 -4 -.8 1 -1 2017-Florida 0 0 0 0 2016-Florida 1 0 0 0 Passing Stats Game Log Game Result Comp/Att Yds TDs Int Eff Yds/Comp Pct 9/26/20-@ Ole Miss W 51 - 35 30/42 416 6 0 201.8 13.9 71.4 10/03/20-South Carolina W 38 - 24 21/29 268 4 1 188.7 12.8 72.4 10/10/20-@ Texas A&M L 38 - 41 23/32 312 4 0 195 13.6 71.9 10/31/20-Missouri W 41 - 17 21/36 345 4 1 169.9 16.4 58.3 11/07/20-Georgia @ Jacksonville, FL W 44 - 28 30/43 474 4 1 188.4 15.8 69.8 11/14/20-Arkansas W 63 - 35 23/29 356 6 0 250.7 15.5 79.3 11/21/20-@ Vanderbilt W 38 - 17 26/35 383 3 0 194.5 14.7 74.3 11/28/20-Kentucky W 34 - 10 21/27 256 3 0 194.1 12.2 77.8 12/05/20-@ Tennessee W 31 - 19 35/49 433 4 0 172.6 12.4 71.4 12/12/20-LSU - 0/0 0 0 0 12/19/20-Alabama @atlanta, GA - 0/0 0 0 0
Mac Jones*, QB, Alabama Height: 6-2. Weight: 205. Projected 40 Time: 4.88. Projected Round (2021): 2-4. View Ranking History 12/1/20: Jones has cruised over Missouri, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Mississippi State this year. Taking on a good Georgia defense, Jones threw for over 400 yards to get the Crimson Tide a huge win. He has been a decisive passer, showing a quality arm, some accuracy, and good decision-making. As is so often the case with players from Alabama, Jones benefits from a great supporting cast and extra media attention.
WalterFootball.com sought opinions on Jones from five different teams regarding the 2021 NFL Draft recently. Three had a fourth-round grade on Jones, one had him on the bubble between Rounds 2 and 3, and one team gave him a second-round grade.
"[Jones is] a stronger-armed Jake Fromm," said one area scout. "He distributes the ball well to all those great weapons. Jones has some ability. His arm is good enough, a little stronger than Jake's. Mac can anticipate, and sees the field well. I think he could have a career in the NFL similar to Matt Barkley."
Another team source who graded Jones (6-3, 214) in the fourth round said they felt he was a shorter A.J. McCarron. Similar to McCarron, Jones is surrounded with a phenomenal set of wide receivers, a tough offensive line with future early-round picks, and a dynamic running game. Team sources say Jones has done a good job of managing the game and getting the ball to his playmakers.
8/29/20: Jones had some good moments in backup duty in 2019 after Tua Tagovailoa went out for the year with his hip injury. Jones could be a riser as Alabama has a lot of talent around him. Career Passing Stats Season G Att Com Int Yds TDs Eff Com/G Yds/C Pct Yds/G 2020-Alabama 9 255 193 3 3113 27 211 21.44 16.1 75.7 346 2019-Alabama 12 141 97 3 1503 14 187 8.08 15.5 68.8 125 2018-Alabama 14 13 5 0 123 1 143 0.36 24.6 38.5 9 2017-Alabama 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 Career Rushing Stats Season Games Att Yds Yds/Rsh TDs Yds/Game 2020-Alabama 9 22 -3 -.1 1 -.3 2019-Alabama 12 16 36 2.3 1 3 2018-Alabama 14 3 -8 -2.7 0 -.6 2017-Alabama 0 0 0 0 Passing Stats Game Log Game Result Comp/Att Yds TDs Int Eff Yds/Comp Pct 9/26/20-@ Missouri W 38 - 19 18/24 249 2 0 189.7 13.8 75 10/03/20-Texas A&M W 52 - 24 20/27 435 4 1 250.9 21.8 74.1 10/10/20-@ Ole Miss W 63 - 48 28/32 417 2 0 217.6 14.9 87.5 10/17/20-Georgia W 41 - 24 24/32 417 4 1 219.5 17.4 75 10/24/20-@ Tennessee W 48 - 17 25/31 387 0 0 185.5 15.5 80.6 10/31/20-Mississippi St. W 41 - 0 24/31 291 4 0 198.9 12.1 77.4 11/21/20-Kentucky W 63 - 3 16/24 230 2 1 166.3 14.4 66.7 11/28/20-Auburn W 42 - 13 18/26 302 5 0 230.3 16.8 69.2 12/05/20-@ LSU W 55 - 17 20/28 385 4 0 234.1 19.3 71.4 12/12/20-@ Arkansas - 0/0 0 0 0 12/19/20-Florida @atlanta, GA - 0/0 0 0 0
Jamie Newman, QB, Georgia Height: 6-4. Weight: 230. Projected 40 Time: 4.65. Projected Round (2021): 2-4. View Ranking History 12/1/20: Newman decided to skip the 2020 season and is preparing for the 2021 NFL Draft. His decision to opt out could cause him to slide, while Zach Wilson, Kyle Trask, and Mac Jones have been rising as they dominate the competition during Newman's combine preparation.
8/29/20: After the 2019 season, Newman decided to transfer to Georgia from Wake Forest rather than enter the 2020 NFL Draft. Newman created a buzz in the scouting community in the fall of 2019 as a legit pro prospect for the next level. Newman is a dual-threat quarterback with running and passing talent to challenge defenses. He has quality size with a live arm and athleticism. Newman has shown a lot of upside to develop for the pro ranks and going to Georgia could help that.
Newman has to get better at working through his progressions, seeing the field, and his footwork. Some team sources think Newman would have been a second-day pick if he entered the 2020 NFL Draft, but they thought he was wise to go back for his senior year instead.
Newman completed 61 percent of his passes in 2019 for 2,868 yards with 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He also has six rushing touchdowns with 464 yards on the ground. In 2018, Newman completed 60 percent of his passes for 1,083 yards with nine touchdowns and four interceptions. Career Passing Stats Season G Att Com Int Yds TDs Eff Com/G Yds/C Pct Yds/G 2019-Wake Forest 12 361 220 11 2868 26 145 18.33 13 60.9 239 2018-Wake Forest 6 141 84 4 1083 9 139 14.00 12.9 59.6 181 2017-Wake Forest 3 4 2 1 8 0 17 0.67 4 50 3 Career Rushing Stats Season Games Att Yds Yds/Rsh TDs Yds/Game 2019-Wake Forest 12 180 574 3.2 6 47.8 2018-Wake Forest 6 64 247 3.9 4 41.2 2017-Wake Forest 3 1 5 5 0 1.7 Passing Stats Game Log Game Result Comp/Att Yds TDs Int Eff Yds/Comp Pct 9/12/20-Clemson L 13 - 37 0/0 0 0 0 9/19/20-@ NC State L 42 - 45 0/0 0 0 0 10/02/20-Campbell W 66 - 14 0/0 0 0 0 10/17/20-Virginia W 40 - 23 0/0 0 0 0 10/24/20-Virginia Tech W 23 - 16 0/0 0 0 0 10/31/20-@ Syracuse W 38 - 14 0/0 0 0 0 11/14/20-@ North Carolina L 53 - 59 0/0 0 0 0 11/21/20-@ Duke - 0/0 0 0 0 12/05/20-Miami (FL) - 0/0 0 0 0 12/12/20-@ Louisville - 0/0 0 0 0 12/19/20-Florida St. - 0/0 0 0 0
Kellen Mond, QB, Texas A&M Height: 6-4. Weight: 225. Projected 40 Time: 4.71. Projected Round (2021): 3-5. View Ranking History 12/1/20: Mond has improved this year, showing more accuracy. He had mixed outings versus Alabama and Vanderbilt, making some beautiful passes and struggling at other times. He had a huge game against Florida to lead the Aggies to a fourth-quarter comeback win, but the inconsistency makes Mond a challenging evaluation. Some see him as a poor man's Colin Kaepernick, and others think he is a better version of Josh Dobbs. That could put Mond as a mid-round-backup type for the NFL. Some team sources said they gave Mond a third-round grade, but others have him graded on Day 3.
8/29/20: Evaluators like Mond's size, arm and athleticism. He needs to continue to improve his accuracy, as that was a big concern for NFL teams heading into his senior year. Mond has shown progress with coaching, but a lot of scouts are skeptical.
Mond had a mixed 2019 season. There were ugly games against Clemson and LSU to bookend the year. He had mixed outings versus Auburn and Georgia, and then very good games against Alabama and Mississippi State that demonstrated significant improvement. Sources from a handful of teams all believed Mond was best off returning for his senior year to develop under Jimbo Fisher before going pro.
In 2019, Mond completed 62 percent of his passes for 2,897 yards with 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions while running for 500 yards and eight touchdowns. He displayed improvement in his accuracy, foot work, decision-making, and composure during the course of the season, but he still has a ways to go for the NFL. In 2018, Mond completed 57 percent of his passes for 3,107 yards with 24 touchdowns versus nine interceptions. Career Passing Stats Season G Att Com Int Yds TDs Eff Com/G Yds/C Pct Yds/G 2020-Texas A&M 8 239 146 2 1769 18 146 18.25 12.1 61.1 221 2019-Texas A&M 13 419 258 9 2897 20 131 19.85 11.2 61.6 223 2018-Texas A&M 13 415 238 9 3107 24 135 18.31 13.1 57.3 239 2017-Texas A&M 11 227 117 6 1375 8 109 10.64 11.8 51.5 125 Career Rushing Stats Season Games Att Yds Yds/Rsh TDs Yds/Game 2020-Texas A&M 8 51 199 3.9 2 24.9 2019-Texas A&M 13 126 500 4 8 38.5 2018-Texas A&M 13 149 474 3.2 7 36.5 2017-Texas A&M 11 89 340 3.8 3 30.9 Passing Stats Game Log Game Result Comp/Att Yds TDs Int Eff Yds/Comp Pct 8/30/18-Northwestern St. W 59 - 7 17/25 184 2 0 156.2 10.8 68 9/08/18-Clemson L 26 - 28 23/40 430 3 0 172.6 18.7 57.5 9/15/18-ULM W 48 - 10 16/24 210 1 0 153.9 13.1 66.7 9/22/18-@ Alabama L 23 - 45 16/33 196 1 2 96.3 12.3 48.5 9/29/18-Arkansas @ Arlington, TX W 24 - 17 17/26 201 0 2 114.9 11.8 65.4 10/06/18-Kentucky W 20 - 14 (1OT) 18/29 226 2 1 143.4 12.6 62.1 10/13/18-@ South Carolina W 26 - 23 25/37 353 1 0 156.6 14.1 67.6 10/27/18-@ Mississippi St. L 13 - 28 23/46 232 1 1 95.2 10.1 50 11/03/18-@ Auburn L 24 - 28 16/32 220 1 1 111.8 13.8 50 11/10/18-Ole Miss W 38 - 24 19/28 236 3 1 166.9 12.4 67.9 11/17/18-UAB W 41 - 20 11/20 192 2 0 168.6 17.5 55 11/24/18-LSU W 74 - 72 (7OT) 23/49 287 6 0 136.6 12.5 46.9 12/31/18-NC State @ Jacksonvlle, FL W 52 - 13 14/26 140 1 1 104.1 10 53.8
If they think 8 are worth taking in rounds 1-3, I think it's safe to say that there are only about 3 actually worth taking at all. And not all are going to be at the top of the draft, necessarily