Panthers: Selecting Mac Jones could derail promising rebuild

Mac Jones has long been seen as a level below the top four quarterbacks in the 2021 NFL Draft but, in his mock draft released on Thursday, Mel Kiper (h/t Panthers Wire) had him leapfrogging Trey Lance and going eighth overall to the Carolina Panthers.

It is a scenario that would mark a stunning turn of events. Jones is widely expected to go in the first round but a top-10 pick would likely be seen as too rich of a price for a player who lacks the physical gifts of Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Justin Fields and Lance.

Panthers coach Matt Rhule worked extensively with Jones at the Senior Bowl and may have been impressed by what he saw. For all the merits of Jones’ week of practice in Mobile, selecting him eighth overall ahead of Lance would be a move that could set back a Carolina rebuild that looks to be off to a great start.

Carolina has made no secret of a desire to move on from Teddy Bridgewater, however, it is debatable whether Jones would be an upgrade. That may seem an overly harsh assessment for a quarterback who recently authored one of the greatest college football seasons ever, but the reality is Jones may struggle to elevate the supporting cast around him in Carolina.

What would Mac Jones bring to Panthers?

Jones was remarkable for Alabama last season, demonstrating superb deep accuracy and frequently delivering the ball with great anticipation while showing the pocket awareness to evade pressure and escape with his legs when needed.

Yet Jones benefited from an excellent supporting cast in Tuscaloosa, throwing to Heisman Trophy winner Devonta Smith and, before his injury, Jaylen Waddle and being protected by a stellar offensive line including Landon Dickerson and Alex Leatherwood. Having a running back of Najee Harris’ caliber and a premier defense also made his task much easier.

He would not find himself in a comparable situation in Carolina, where both starting tackles from last year are free agents, along with wide receiver Curtis Samuel. Christian McCaffrey is coming off a season in which injuries limited him to three games and the defense, despite playing well in 2020, is not one that will consistently put him in the advantageous situations Alabama’s did.

Though he is not immobile, Jones lacks the mobility to make the kind of rushing impact and throws on the run that Lawrence, Wilson, Fields and Lance have regularly completed. And, while he has an NFL arm, it is clearly not on the level of that quartet.

Jones needs to land with a team ready to contend or one where he can be a backup for a few years before taking the reins. That is not Carolina. The Panthers were an extremely competitive 5-11 team in 2020 but lost eight one-score games largely due to Bridgewater’s inability to lead game-winning drives. Asking Jones to succeed where he could not is asking for failure.

Picking eighth overall, the Panthers have the chance to land a quarterback with massive upside who reflects where the game is going and can accelerate their timeline. Jones can become a starter in the pros, yet the truth is he represents the past at the quarterback position. Reaching for him is a move that would stall the rebuild and potentially haunt the franchise for years to come.