Personnel members from all 32 NFL teams will be evaluating some University of Alabama football alums at Hancock Whitney Stadium (Mobile, Ala.) on Jan. 30 for the annual Reese’s Senior Bowl.
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the usual format for the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis will not happen this year. With this being said, players looking to cement their draft stock or rise up boards must turn in quality efforts during the week of practice. Aside from pro day, the Senior Bowl may be the only time for athletes to impress NFL teams.
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For the Crimson Tide, six names have accepted their invitations to the venue.
Mac Jones becomes the latest individual — joining DeVonta Smith, Alex Leatherwood, Landon Dickerson, Deonte Brown and Thomas Fletcher. A native of Jacksonville, Fla., Jones guided the Tide to its 18th national championship in school history.
#RollTide Welcome QB Mac Jones (@macjones_10 )from @AlabamaFTBL the 2021 @Reeses Senior Bowl!!!
😤😤😤 #RTR #BamaFactor#TheDraftStartsInMOBILE @JimNagy_SB @PaniniAmerica #RatedRookie pic.twitter.com/6Tax3dm3M9— Reese’s Senior Bowl (@seniorbowl) January 19, 2021
Time to go to work. pic.twitter.com/ngHDxVAur2
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) January 19, 2021
As a first-year starting quarterback, he shattered preseason expectations. Jones paced Alabama to averaging 48.2 points and 542 yards per game, both of which are the most in the Nick Saban era.
He set a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) record for completion percentage (77.4), while ranking first among quarterbacks for passer efficiency rating (203) and total quarterback rating (96.1).
Jones tossed for 4,500 yards with 41 touchdowns to four interceptions.
He finished last season with Consensus All-American honors, first-team All-SEC honors and a few individual awards. In accepting his Senior Bowl invitation, the former three-star recruit has an opportunity to show media pundits and pro teams his preparation to work with different wide receivers.
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He was very successful in completing passes to Smith, Jaylen Waddle and John Metchie in 2020, but now Jones must prove his capability to adjust and adapt to other playmakers. Should he be able to do it, it will go a long way in to scouts evaluating him as more than serviceable signal caller at the next level. He has done enough to have NFL Draft analyst project him as a first-rounder; however, Jones can make a concrete statement with a good week at the Senior Bowl.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith
