Scouting quarterback Mac Jones, who finally had a chance to shine for Alabama in 2020

Mac Jones.Matthew Hinton/Associated Press

The Patriots selected Alabama quarterback Mac Jones with the No. 15 pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Here’s the scouting report, courtesy of Stats:

Often overshadowed by the presence of Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa on the Alabama roster, Jones finally got his opportunity to shine in 2019 after an injury to Tagovailoa opened the door for starting opportunities. Jones entered 2020 with a quarterback competition against the highly recruited Bryce Young, but he held onto the starting job. He performed admirably throughout the year while directing Alabama to another national championship and putting his name in the Heisman race. Despite only having a year and a half as a starter, Jones enters the NFL as a highly decorated passer with a dominant string of performances behind him.

Analysis

Jones has a good feel for attacking with accuracy at all three levels of the field, and his ball placement regardless of the distance stands out. He is mechanically sound, possessing a good base as a thrower and delivering passes with a clean stroke.

He’s smart with his decisions and won’t force passes if he doesn’t have ideal leverage for the throw. His control over the Alabama offense stands out, and he had a great command over the system.

Unable to extend plays much with his legs, and he shouldn’t be trusted to make things happen as a scrambler. Arm is relatively average, and he isn’t able to make a ton of high velocity throws when working off platform. Will need to improve his quickness working through progressions as a pro.

Pro Comparison: Jared Goff, Lions

Goff gets his fair share of criticism for being more of a game manager than a dynamic passer, but he has conducted some well-oiled machines with good accuracy, timing, and decision-making as a pro. Jones brings a lot of the same traits with his timing and control, and he should be able to drive the bus with enough efficiency to start at the pro level.

Highlight reel

Read more:

• Patriots buck convention, select quarterback Mac Jones with No. 15 pick
• A year after losing Tom Brady, the Patriots finally have a long-term plan at quarterback: Mac Jones
• A closer look at new Patriots quarterback Mac Jones, who led Alabama to the national championship
• NFL Draft 2021: How the first round unfolded
• See the draft order for Friday night: rounds 2 and 3
• No surprises with Jaguars picking Trevor Lawrence at No. 1, all surprises with Trey Lance to 49ers at No. 3
• Rhode Island’s Kwity Paye selected by Colts in first round of NFL Draft