2021 NFL Mock Draft: Eagles target DeVonta Smith, Bears settle on Mac Jones
By Randy Gurzi
Mac Jones. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. QB. Alabama. 20. 57
At pick No. 20, the Chicago Bears draft their potential starting quarterback of the future in Mac Jones. For the second season in a row, an Alabama quarterback is taken in the opening rounds and while Jones goes much later than his predecessor Tua Tagovailoa did, he could still find just as much success at the next level.
Jones replaced Tua in 2019 and the Tide didn’t lose a step. He finished that season with 1,503 yards and a 14-to-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He was even better in 2020 when he took the reins full-time, finishing with 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns against just four picks. Even more impressive was how accurate he was, completing 77.4 percent of his passes.
There are still those who doubt Jones as a day one pick, but they shouldn’t. He can make all the throws and has shown that he can be a leader even on a team crowded with talent. And the Bears need a player like that, who the team can rally around.
Mitchell Trubisky had plenty of the tools needed but his inconsistent play was too much to overcome. It was also obvious there were times the team just didn’t believe in him, which can be a death sentence for a quarterback — ask Carson Wentz. Jones might not be a perennial All-Pro, but he will make Chicago competitive on offense.