Former NFL scout John Middlekauff recently described the possibility of the San Francisco 49ers making Mac Jones of Alabama the No. 3 overall pick as "arrogant." Jones appears to fit the mold of what head coach Kyle Shanahan has sought in the past — a smart and accurate passer who can manage his offense well, à la Kirk Cousins, Matt Ryan, and Jimmy Garoppolo.
It's hard for many fans to look past the possibility of passing on Justin Fields of Ohio State or Trey Lance of North Dakota State, though. Many among the media feel the two are better long-term prospects, too. Both are seen as more athletic prospects with potentially higher upsides. Not only could they turn out to be great in the pocket, but their athleticism could provide Shanahan with an added dimension for his offense.
"I think it would be one of the most arrogant picks in the history of the league," Middlekauff said of the possibility that the 49ers might select Jones over Fields or Lance.
NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah spoke with reporters this week on a Zoom call and was asked about the potential Jones-to-49ers scenario being labeled as "arrogant."
"You always hear it's about the Jimmys and Joes, not the Xs and Os," Jeremiah responded via NFL.com. "That would be an Xs and Os decision. It is 'I believe so much in the Xs and Os, I need somebody that can just see the game through my eyes and make those decisions.' But I don't call it arrogance because I don't know how you argue with him.
"You watch the tape every week of these teams, and Kyle gets guys more open than anybody else in the league. There's a reason why so many teams are picking off all the guys from his tree to run that offense because it's the best offense there is."
It's not just the possibility of selecting Jones over Fields or Lance that has the 49ers community on social media up in arms. It's the fact that the team surrendered future first-round picks and a third-rounder to potentially do so. That's a lot to give up for a player who many feel fits the mold of what San Francisco already has — just maybe someone who might be able to stay on the field more.
After about a week of being bumped down to the No. 2 spot, Jones is once again the betting favorite to be the No. 3 overall pick, with Fields and Lance behind him. No one really seems to know what the 49ers plan to do, but most mock drafts still predict it will be Jones.
The 2021 NFL Draft begins in seven days from Cleveland, Ohio.