What Should Patriots Make of Mac Jones-Tom Brady Comparisons?

What should the Pats make of the Mac Jones/Tom Brady comparisons? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

For a while, there has been some buzz growing around Alabama quarterback Mac Jones.

Jones is coming off a great year for the Crimson Tide during which he led the team to an undefeated championship season, threw for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns, and finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting. Since the season ended, he set his draft stock ablaze with a great performance at the Senior Bowl and has drawn some lofty comparisons as well.

One of those comparisons has been to NFL legend and former New England Patriot Tom Brady. Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy brought up some qualities that Jones shared with Brady on a recent episode of Phil Perry's Next Pats Podcast. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has echoed similar sentiments as well.

Next Pats Podcast - Jim Nagy makes a compelling argument for why Mac Jones would excel with Patriots  | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube

And now, AL.com's Mike Rodak is tossing his hat into the ring. In an appearance on NBC Sports Boston's Arbella Early Edition, Rodak said that the Jones-Brady comparison is one that he always wanted to make.

"I don't think it's as much a comparison about the quality of player," Rodak said. "I think it's more just about their skill set and what type of quarterback they are."

Rodak would go on to discuss what he saw out of Jones during the 2020 college football season and how it matched up with what Brady has been doing his whole career.

"[Jones is] just innately talented in the pocket in the sense that he can move left-right, up-down. Really did well avoiding sacks, finding the right read, getting the ball to some pretty good playmakers out there, Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith, obviously, and some other guys as well," Rodak said. "That's a lot of the stuff that Tom Brady did well."

Rodak would also compare the two as athletes, calling them both "adequate" but mentioned that Brady was elite in other areas and that allowed him to rise. That's what Jones will need to do if he wants to become a starter at the NFL level.

Curran: Ranking the top five quarterback prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft

So, with that said, would Rodak advise the Patriots to take with the 15th pick if he's available?

"I think you would take Mac Jones," Rodak said. "I think you have to take a little bit of a leap of faith. He's not that superbly talented player that you might look for that high in the draft, but it's the old adage that if you believe in a quarterback and you think he's your guy, it doesn't really matter where you're picking."

For more of Rodak's thoughts on Jones and Brady, check out the video below or watch it on YouTube.