Mac Jones may have been the fifth and final quarterback selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft, but he would have ranked more favorably in this year’s class. He’d be the No. 1 quarterback, had he waited a year and entered the draft in 2022, according to ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper.
That’s a testament to the impressive drafts prospects of Jones — and the other quarterbacks in his class. But it’s also a bit of a poor reflection of this year’s class, with Liberty’s Malik Willis, Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder and Pitt’s Kenny Pickett projected to go in the top two rounds.
“Mac probably would have edged all the quarterbacks out,” Kiper told reporters on a conference call on Thursday. “Knowing what we know now, he’d be No. 1.”
