Panthers 2021 Draft: Studs and duds from Day 1 at Senior Bowl
By Dean Jones
Mac Jones – QB (Alabama)
There appears to be plenty of divided opinion on Mac Jones’ ability to make a smooth transition to the next level. The quarterback enjoyed a phenomenal season to steer Alabama to a convincing National Championship victory in 2020, which could see him enter the first-round discussion providing the prospect comes across well during the assessment period.
The Carolina Panthers are clearly looking for an upgrade at the position this offseason due to Teddy Bridgewater‘s inconsistent level of play throughout the season. However, with the top-four quarterbacks potentially coming off the board before No. 8 overall, it presents a complication.
Jones will be one of the players that Carolina’s coaching staff will be monitoring extremely closely. But his indifferent start to practices leaves the prospect with plenty to do in order to convince the Panthers he is worth taking with one of their top-end selections.
Mobility seems to be the main problem where Jones is concerned. He is an accurate thrower and sometimes fearless when it comes to moving the ball. However, his lack of conviction during team drills won’t have gone unnoticed and there is plenty of work to do for the signal-caller in the coming days.
Jamie Newman outperformed Jones by a considerable margin. The Georgia player opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 health concerns, but one could argue he has a little more upside with a unique skill set that is currently all the rage in today’s NFL.