Ranking the 2021 NFL Draft quarterback class: Guess where Trevor Lawrence lands
• The Jaguars went with Trevor Lawrence
• How does he stack up against his peers
No. 2 QB to come out of the 2021 NFL Draft: Mac Jones, Round 1, pick 15
Mac Jones wasn't as highly coveted as Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, or Zach Wilson coming out of college but the consensus generally saw him falling within the first or second-round range. In the end, he landed with the New England Patriots at No. 15, and right off the back, he helped them win games. In fact, the Pats made the playoffs in his rookie season and he even earned a Pro Bowl designation. However, things went sour in his rookie campaign.
It all started when Matt Patricia was granted the power to run the offense. Although he didn't get the coordinator label, he was in charge of that side of the ball, which was odd when you realize that defense was his specialty. Patricia's lack of expertise on offense led Jones to regress in 2022. To make matters worse, rookie Bailey Zappe outplayed him, which led to talks about a potential controversy brewing in Foxborough.
Fast forward to 2023, New England kicked Patricia to the curb and brought back Bill O'Brien to take his place as the offensive coordinator. Furthermore, there was no competition between Jones and Zappe and the Pats rallied behind the former. The decision seemed to pay off, at least in the short term.
Jones completed 64.8 percent of his throws for 316 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. He won't probably turn into a top-5 quarterback but gives the Patriots stability at the most important position on the football field and there are several teams that can't claim to have that luxury.