Mac Jones is already garnering respect from veterans in the pros.
National media has criticized him, but one elite pass rusher had high praise for him. After the New England Patriots selected Jones at No. 15 overall on Thursday night, Shaquil Barrett said the former Alabama standout is ‘going to be the best quarterback out of the draft.’ Jones was one of five signal-callers taken, joining Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, and Justin Fields.
Mac Jones going be the best QB out this draft
— Shaquil Barrett (@ShaquilBarrett) April 30, 2021
Barrett, 28, will enter his seventh NFL season in the fall. He has spent the last two years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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He totaled eight sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles in 2020. Barrett helped Tom Brady deliver the Bucs to a Super Bowl Championship. The 6-foot-2, 250-pound linebacker knows a special quarterback when he sees it. Jones has been compared to Brady throughout the draft process. The stories of both players are similar, and now Jones is with Bill Belichick.
Tom Brady out, Mac Jones in. Bill Belichick gets his guy at QB. pic.twitter.com/13fggVlyBf
— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) April 30, 2021
Barrett has 41.5 sacks in his career. He has Jones as his best quarterback from this draft.
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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.