The 2021 NFL draft is loaded with talented quarterback prospects, and we could easily see three of them land among the top four picks.
Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence is expected to go No. 1 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but there’s still plenty of debate about the order in which the rest of this year’s top passers could come off the board. Ohio State’s Justin Fields, BYU’s Zach Wilson and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance are all projected as potential top-10 picks, and any of them could sneak into the top five.
But what if Alabama’s Mac Jones jumps up that high?
That’s what happens in the latest 2021 NFL mock draft from CBS Sports, which has Jones heading to the Atlanta Falcons at No. 4 overall, ahead of both Fields and Lance.
And if that’s not surprising enough, CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson says that Jones is a better prospect than fellow Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa:
Jones was a better QB at Alabama than Tagovailoa and for us, he’s a better NFL prospect too. He shares some similarities with Matt Ryan, whose contract will almost certainly require him to remain in Atlanta for the 2021 season.
That’s certainly a bold claim, and though Jones had an incredibly productive 2020 campaign while helping lead the Crimson Tide to an undefeated season and a national title, his skill set is rarely mentioned on the same level as Tagovailoa’s.
Wilson lands with the New York Jets at No. 2 overall in this projection, while Fields goes to the Carolina Panthers at No. 8 overall. Lance tumbles all the way to No. 19 overall, where he’s snatched up by the Washington Football Team.
To check out the full first-round mock at CBS Sports, click here.
