FOXBORO/CLEVELAND – In all the years, in all the NFL Drafts, Bill Belichick, the mastermind behind the New England Patriots entire football operation, never, ever, ever picked a quarterback with his first round draft choice. That streak ended last night in Cleveland when Belichick and the Patriots selected Alabama’s Mac Jones with their No. 1 choice, the 15th overall selection of the 2021 NFL Draft.
With Cam Newton as his mentor, Jones is likely to play the early part of the 2021 season as back-up and apprentice to Newton, but with the way Belichick values his top pick, the keys to the New England Patriots’ offense will someday – soon – be turned over to Jones in the same manner in which All-Pro, All-Time great Tom Brady once accepted the QB job from Drew Bledsoe.
“This is what I wanted all along,” Jones said on stage at the “in-person” NFL Draft raft in Cleveland. “And I can’t wait to play for the greatest franchise in NFL history.”
Jones, a two-time national title winner with the Crimson Tide, was the fifth quarterback chosen in the top 15 on Thursday. He becomes the 11th player drafted by Belichick who played for Nick Saban in college.
In 13 games last season, Jones threw for 4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns and only four interceptions. Some argue he was a product of a system that thrived with a rugged offensive line and elite playmakers everywhere. He was a backup in 2017 when Alabama also won the title.
He already seems to have a grasp of the “Patriot Way” of playing football.
Saban said last month teams began showing greater interest in Jones late last season and after the national championship game. In conversations with teams, Saban reminds them where Jones started — on the scout team and then behind a slew of talented players, including projected 2021 NFL starters Jalen Hurts (Eagles) and Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins). And, perhaps most importantly, of Jones’ perseverance to keep working toward getting on the field instead of leaving as a transfer.
“I think that the team that picks me is going to realize they don’t have to worry about me being the first guy in and the last guy out,” Jones said last month. “I’m going to sit and watch as much film as I can and do all the right things. And then obviously the tape speaks for itself.”
Jones joins former Auburn quarterbacks Cam Newton and Jarret Stidham with the Patriots. And he could have a chance to see Tagovailoa head to head twice a year in the AFC East. Newton re-signed with the Patriots after a disappointing 2020 with the team. He went 7-8 in 15 starts and turns 32 next month. Newton completed 65.8 percent of his passes for 2,657 yards, eight touchdowns and 10 interceptions and rushed for 592 yards and 12 scores.
Jones’ Alabama Crimson Tide dominated the 2021 NFL Draft.
The national champion Crimson Tide watched six first-round picks placed up on the draft board on the opening night of the annual college draft. Quarterback Mac Jones, Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith, (Philadelphia Eagles), explosive fellow wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (Miami Dolphins) and running back Najee Harris (Pittsburgh Steelers) lead the wave of Nick Saban‘s former charges expected to be selected among the top 32 picks.
Cornerback Patrick Surtain II, (Denver Broncos), offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood (Las Vegas Raiders) were all first-rounders.
Alabama’s Saban has had 96 players drafted since he became coach at the school, including four first-round picks in 2020. Overall, Saban has produced 35 first-round picks between his time at LSU and Alabama. Tagovailoa was the fifth overall pick in 2020 — one of four Alabama players in the top 15 — and sat early as a Miami rookie while recovering from hip surgery.