Advertisement
football Edit

BamaInsider Top 40 for 2020: Mac Jones takes No. 3 spot

BamaInsider continues to unveil its annual top-40 list for the Alabama football team. Players were rated based on their projected impact for the Crimson Tide this season. Today we move on to No. 3 with Alabama’s projected starter at quarterback, Mac Jones.

Alabama top 40: 40-36 | 35-31 | 30-26 | 25-21 | 20-16 | 15-11 | 10-6 | 5 | 4


Advertisement

2019 stats

— 68.8 completion percentage

— 1,503 passing yards

— 14 passing touchdowns

— 3 interceptions

— 186.84 passer rating

— 1 rushing touchdown

Best performance

Jones seemed to get better with each start as he took over the reins at quarterback following Tua Tagovailoa’s season-ending injury against Mississippi State. The right-hander saved his best performance for last as he torched Michigan for 327 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. The Wolverines were the top passing defense Alabama faced last season, finishing No. 10 in the nation while holding opponents to 185.5 yards per game through the air.

Despite throwing two costly pick-sixes, Jones also played well in Alabama’s Iron Bowl defeat to Auburn. During that game, he completed 26 of 39 passes for a career-high 335 yards and four touchdowns while posting a 162.4 passer rating. That’s a higher passer rating than Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow recorded during his game against Auburn last season.

Possible milestones

Jones has just four starts to his name, leaving him out of reach of any career milestones this season. However, if he can maintain his production from last year, he could be in line to make a run at some single-season marks.

Over his four starts last season, Jones averaged 293 yards and 3.25 touchdowns per game. If he were to keep at that pace over a 15-game season, he would have 4,396 yards and 48 touchdowns. Both of those numbers would comfortably pass Tagovailoa’s single-season marks for passing yards (3,966) and passing touchdowns (43) both set in 2018.

While it will be difficult for Jones to continue at his current averages over a full SEC schedule, it is worth noting that he posted his best two games against the top two defenses he played. Alabama will also return a loaded receiving corps featuring two of the nation’s top wideouts in DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle.

Why he's here

Jones will have to replace a generational quarterback in Tagovailoa and has another elite talent on his heels in freshman Bryce Young. However, the redshirt junior has a chance to leave his mark on Alabama as well.

While Jones has yet to prove himself over a full season, he showed he can keep Alabama’s offense running. During his four starts, the Crimson Tide gained a respectable 498.75 yards of total offense per game — an average that would have been good enough for No. 7 in the nation. Jones was also extremely efficient with the football, posting a 128.1 NFL passer rating which ranked seventh-highest among quarterbacks with at least 150 dropbacks, according to Pro Football Focus.

Jones spent the offseason fine-tuning his game, focusing on pocket mobility while bulking up seven pounds in order to give him the leg strength to break past arm tackles and extend plays. Those improvements, along with an offense chock full of weapons, could see him continue Alabama’s recent trend of eye-popping numbers from the quarterback position. The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook currently lists Jones at 25-1 odds to win the Heisman Trophy. If he’s able to pick up where he left off last season, don’t be surprised if he’s in New York come December.

Key quote 

“I feel like his arm strength over the course of the last month has gotten a lot better. Mechanically, he’s improved a lot… There have been days when he has come in and thrown, and my mouth has just been wide open in amazement of ‘Holy cow, this kid can really spin it.’ This kid is special, special. I think he’s going to have a massive year at Alabama this year.” — Denny Thompson, owner of 6 Points, a quarterback training facility in Jacksonville.

The "TOC" is where premium subscribers talk Alabama Crimson Tide Football
The "TOC" is where premium subscribers talk Alabama Crimson Tide Football
Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Mac Jones (10) scrambles up the field against the Western Carolina Catamounts during the second quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Photo | Imagn
Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Mac Jones (10) scrambles up the field against the Western Carolina Catamounts during the second quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Photo | Imagn
Advertisement