Bucky Brooks won't be sucked into Mac's meteoric rise

[top dawg]

Bucky Brooks just comes out and says it in his title: "Mac Jones not worth a first round pick," and he pointedly, if not colorfully, tells us why with his Iron Man comparison. He generally believes that Tony Starks suit made him a superhero and Jones' supporting cast made him a superhero in the eyes of many analysts. And Brooks is not falling for this Jedi mind trick.

"While I'm not issuing a complete dismissal of Jones' talents as a pinpoint passer with nice timing, touch and anticipation, he significantly benefited from playing behind an NFL-caliber offensive line with first-round talents at wide receiver and running back. The Crimson Tide offense was the armored suit that elevated Jones' game, and scouts need to keep his production in perspective when gauging his talent."

 

Brooks then tells us that Brooks will need that super team in order to showcase his limited ability, because he won't be using his limitations to truly elevate others around him like true franchise QBs do in the modern NFL.

 

"The 6-foot-3, 217-pounder doesn't display A-grade arm talent or athleticism between the lines. Jones lacks the speed, quickness and running ability to extend plays or create big gains outside of structure. Moreover, he is confined to the pocket as a statuesque signal-caller built to throw traditional dropback passes behind a fortress."

 

And Jones might go above Fields or Lance, but Brooks is obviously having none of it.

 

"Comparing Jones' skills to those of Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Justin Fields and Trey Lance, there is a drastic difference between the Alabama standout and those other projected first-rounders. Jones is nowhere near the athlete of Fields or Lance, and he lacks the magical arm talent to compete with the quartet in a game of H-O-R-S-E."

 

In his article, Brooks has made a Starks--err, stark comparison between Jones and the other four in not only physical talent, but the talent around them, even using "drastic difference" and "significantly benefitted" to make his argument. There really isn't any question as to where he stands, and it will be interesting to see the kid's career path. After everything I've seen and read, I'm thinking that Big Mac's ceiling is a weak-armed Joe Flacco, but I could be wrong. I just know that I don't prefer him, and Brooks' analysis probably makes me lean more of not wanting him at all.

 

https://www.nfl.com/news/mac-jones-not-worth-a-first-round-pick-rashod-bateman-the-next-justin-jefferson

Rashod Bateman looks to be a better receiver than Jones is a QB though.

 

[Jaxel]

Sometimes haters gonna hate.

[Tbe]

People who know Shanahan say Mac is his ideal QB. 
 

I really don’t get it.

[Daeavorn]

Tony Stark is also one of the smartest humans on the planet. Its not JUST his suit.

[Popsickle]

Come on Mixing Marvel and Star Wars in a single reference. Get your poo together man. 

[MHS831]

It is a cerebral position.  You really can't evaluate the man by measuring his arm strength, long jump, etc.  Compare his weaknesses to others' strength--and write that article.  However, there have been nearly zero Super Bowl winning QBs who were not very smart and quick processors.

You all might have thought Eli Manning was not good.  2 rings.  Drew Brees?  1 ring and he turned around a franchise and made it reputable.  2nd round pick.  Russell Wilson?  Very smart QB, although he was too short and limited for the NFL.  Look in his jewelry box.  Where are the raw talents like Ryan Leaf, Jameis Winston, etc.?  Name a guy in a Yellow jacket that did not first have the ability to process quickly and speed read an NFL defense.  Name a super bowl winner who was slow to get through his progressions. 

Look at all the speedy QBs and flashy folks who could not process quickly.  Manziel comes to mind.  Jake Locker, Mark Sanchez, Vince Young, Jamarcus Russell, Winston, etc.  Some win games, but the game.  I know that I am cherry picking, but if you want to cherry pick the quarterbacks who won with athleticism and were not known to be very cerebral, I got all weekend for you to come up with a name.

So that is why there are question marks around Fields.  Yes, the athleticism draws you in, but what happened in those games when he looked really bad?  Could the Buckeyes adjust?  I don't know.  The scouts and GMs don't know, but we all know that every year, teams go all in on shiny stud athletes who lack the mental training and conditioning to adapt to the NFL complexity and speed.  This will make some mad, but Cam struggled with it--that is why he held the ball and was sacked so much--and the OL sucked and he had no weapons to throw to most of the time--perfect storm. However, he was improving when his body said, "we done."  So we can get all excited about the flashy athletic sports cars, but we better check under the hood and see how they handle.  Zero to 60 is great, but so is visibility, consistency, and navigation.

Edited April 3, 2021 by MHS831

[countryboi]

I have been kinda enjoying his rise, mostly because it keeps us from taking him. Let him fail for someone else

[bobcat91]

Yes, Jones did have a lot of talent around him. But so did Fields and Lawrence and he never discounted that for them. I dont want us to draft Jones, but he has more proven skills than Lance who folks want us to draft. With Lawrence and Wilson apparently off the boards, I would take Fields and begin molding him into an NFL QB. Anyone else is a crapshoot

[MrBubba]

Pretty sure he thought Haskins was well above Jones also. 

[@bonafidebanter]

The only thing that I will say is that Mitchell Trubisky got elevated above Pat Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. It won't be the last time either. When these so called "experts" are proven wrong year after year, who is there to call them out on their b.s.? Who? 

[top dawg]

3 hours ago, MHS831 said:

It is a cerebral position.  You really can't evaluate the man by measuring his arm strength, long jump, etc.  Compare his weaknesses to others' strength--and write that article.  However, there have been nearly zero Super Bowl winning QBs who were not very smart and quick processors.

You all might have thought Eli Manning was not good.  2 rings.  Drew Brees?  1 ring and he turned around a franchise and made it reputable.  2nd round pick.  Russell Wilson?  Very smart QB, although he was too short and limited for the NFL.  Look in his jewelry box.  Where are the raw talents like Ryan Leaf, Jameis Winston, etc.?  Name a guy in a Yellow jacket that did not first have the ability to process quickly and speed read an NFL defense.  Name a super bowl winner who was slow to get through his progressions. 

Look at all the speedy QBs and flashy folks who could not process quickly.  Manziel comes to mind.  Jake Locker, Mark Sanchez, Vince Young, Jamarcus Russell, Winston, etc.  Some win games, but the game.  I know that I am cherry picking, but if you want to cherry pick the quarterbacks who won with athleticism and were not known to be very cerebral, I got all weekend for you to come up with a name.

So that is why there are question marks around Fields.  Yes, the athleticism draws you in, but what happened in those games when he looked really bad?  Could the Buckeyes adjust?  I don't know.  The scouts and GMs don't know, but we all know that every year, teams go all in on shiny stud athletes who lack the mental training and conditioning to adapt to the NFL complexity and speed.  This will make some mad, but Cam struggled with it--that is why he held the ball and was sacked so much--and the OL sucked and he had no weapons to throw to most of the time--perfect storm. However, he was improving when his body said, "we done."  So we can get all excited about the flashy athletic sports cars, but we better check under the hood and see how they handle.  Zero to 60 is great, but so is visibility, consistency, and navigation.

True, but I don't think that either Fields or Lance lacks the mental acuity for the position. And when all is said and done, I'm betting the house on either of them before Jones. Just the way I see it.

[top dawg]

3 hours ago, bobcat91 said:

Yes, Jones did have a lot of talent around him. But so did Fields and Lawrence and he never discounted that for them. I dont want us to draft Jones, but he has more proven skills than Lance who folks want us to draft. With Lawrence and Wilson apparently off the boards, I would take Fields and begin molding him into an NFL QB. Anyone else is a crapshoot

I think what he is saying in a more roundabout way is that Fields and Lawrence elevated their team's talent, and with Mac it's more of the team elevating his lack of talent. 

In any event, I don't believe that most people would argue that any team's talent was on the level of Bama's, or as complete. Mac really was in talent heaven.

[hepcat]

Mac Jones could be a very good QB on the right team in the right situation. Lord help us if the Saints draft him.

[SizzleBuzz]

4 hours ago, MHS831 said:

It is a cerebral position.  You really can't evaluate the man by measuring his arm strength, long jump, etc.  Compare his weaknesses to others' strength--and write that article.  However, there have been nearly zero Super Bowl winning QBs who were not very smart and quick processors.

++++