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Whether through free agency, the trade market or the draft, the New England Patriots are in the market for a new quarterback after what was a disappointing 2020 season for their passing offense. If the team decides to go the third route and take to the draft to bring a new QB on board, Mac Jones certainly appears to be one of the players to watch.
Jones is regarded as a potential first-round target and given his background at the University of Alabama — Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban is a long-time Bill Belichick confidante — would be a natural fit. Whether or not New England’s decision makers agree remains to be seen, but the organization already expressed some level of interest when it interviewed Jones during the Senior Bowl.
On Tuesday, the draft prospect appeared on the NFL Network show Good Morning Football to discuss the meeting and the potential interest the Patriots might have in him:
Alabama QB Mac Jones is a first round prospect. @PSchrags suggests New England as the perfect landing spot.
— GMFB (@gmfb) February 2, 2021
His response: pic.twitter.com/5ujZlseehU
“There’s all sort of things out there, I guess, but for me it was… I got to meet with all 32 teams. Got to meet with the Patriots, there were some scouts there,” Jones said. “Hopefully I left a good impact on them. I think Coach Belichick and Coach Saban, obviously, have a great relationship and I hope Coach Saban has good things to say about me. I assume, he would.”
If he indeed gets drafted by the Patriots in late April, Jones would be just the lates member of the Crimson Tide to arrive in New England. The team currently has three Alabama products under contract in linebackers Dont’a Hightower and Anfernee Jennings, as well as running back Damien Harris.
Harris also was mentioned by Jones during his appearance on Good Morning Football.
“Obviously, one of my buddies, Damien Harris, plays up there too,” he said about the third-year running back. “So, I talk to him a good amount.”
The Patriots and Jones are still early in the pre-draft process, and a lot can still change over the coming weeks and months. At this point in time, however, it would not be all that surprising to see the Alabama passer be reunited with his buddy Damien Harris later this year.