There's a chasm between Mac Jones' stellar college numbers and the lukewarm forecast that qualitative evaluators give for his future in the NFL. And it forces a question that quarterback-needy teams have to answer: Which will best predict his pro career?
Statistically, Jones is one of the greatest college quarterbacks of his generation. At Alabama in 2020, he recorded the single-highest QBR season in the metric's history, dating back to 2004. He sits atop a leaderboard of best seasons littered with top draft picks and elite NFL QBs; Kyler Murray, Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Russell Wilson and Andrew Luck trail Jones.