Bucky Brooks recently stated that he doesn't view Mac Jones as a top-three talent in this year's draft class. In fact, he doesn't see the former Alabama quarterback as a first-round talent, period, so it's difficult to imagine the San Francisco 49ers spending four draft picks, including three first-rounders, to move up to acquire him.
Media chatter painted a curious picture after the 49ers traded up to the No. 3 spot on March 26. Because of the history of quarterbacks that Shanahan has worked with, speculation ran rampant, linking Jones to the 49ers.
The narrative has changed a bit since Justin Fields of Ohio State held his second pro day this week. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch were in attendance, and Fields is now the favorite to succeed Jimmy Garoppolo in Santa Clara.
NFL Media analyst Bucky Brooks joined the Rich Eisen Show today and discussed the 49ers' options with their top pick. With several mock drafts still projecting a Jones-to-Niners scenario on April 29, Eisen asked Brooks who he believes the pick will be.
"Justin Fields or Trey Lance," Brooks responded. "I think the conversation about Mac Jones is just conversation. I think when you're Kyle Shanahan, and you move up, you move up to get a remarkable talent. And that talent, to me, needs to be someone who can not only do the things that you want to do on the script, but off the script.
"Because at the end of the day, what you're doing is you need to compare your quarterback to the other quarterbacks in the division. And if we're being honest, Rich, the NFC West has Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray, and Matthew Stafford. In any scenario, do we view Mac Jones as being the player that can be better than any of those guys in the next two to three years? Because if we don't, then we shouldn't make a move for him.
"But when we think about the extraordinary talents of the two others (Fields and Lance) that are mentioned, we can see how their athleticism and combination of arm talent could give them an opportunity to succeed and surpass some of those guys in the division. I think it has to be one of those two other guys, and I believe Mac Jones is just a smokescreen."
Brooks went on to break down Lance's skill set and NFL potential. You can watch and listen to the entire segment below.