Mac Jones

The Carolina Panthers "are not enthralled" with either Alabama quarterback Mac Jones or North Dakota State signal-caller Trey Lance, Joseph Person of The Athletic wrote based on "conversations with multiple sources."

Person made the comments in an article about the team's draft options at No. 8 overall, with a focus on what the team would do considering its recent trade for quarterback Sam Darnold.

The Panthers sent three draft picks (including a second-rounder) to the New York Jets for the 23-year-old, who was the No. 3 overall selection in the 2018 NFL draft. He figures to be the team's Week 1 starter.

Carolina general manager Scott Fitterer has a decision to make on Darnold, however, with his fifth-year option for the 2022 season looming at an $18.858 million price tag. The deadline for that decision is May 3.

A source told Person that the Panthers are expecting to pick up the option.

There isn't much need for Carolina to rush that decision before the three-day draft begins playing out Thursday, though. A potential X-factor is whether Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields falls to No. 8, which Person discussed:

"That leaves Fields, who seems to intrigue the Panthers. Now, are they intrigued enough to take him at No. 8, or do they merely want other teams to think they could take Fields, and make their pick more valuable? I mean, it wouldn't be draft season without at least a little subterfuge."

Clemson's Trevor Lawrence and BYU's Zach Wilson are expected to go first and second overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Jets, respectively. Fields, Lance and Jones round out the top-five quarterback list for this year's draft.

Regardless of what the Panthers decide to do, they have numerous options, as Panthers head coach Matt Rhule noted and Person relayed.

"They can stay where they are and consider a quarterback. They could try to solve their nearly decade-long problem at left tackle with the eighth pick, although I can't see Oregon's Penei Sewell making it that far.

"Or they could trade back, recoup some of the draft capital they spent on Darnold and still be in position to take a tackle or one of the top cornerbacks, whom I hear the Panthers are high on. Given this team's other needs and Fitterer's background, that seems to be the preferred scenario."

There's been plenty of smoke about the Panthers trading down, and Fitterer went on the record saying he's discussed potential moves with teams.

"We've talked to several, actually, already. I'd say at least five, all in different parts of the draft," Fitterer said at his predraft press conference.

"There will be a lot more calls this week. We're very open to moving back or open to picking, it just depends on how the board falls, those first seven picks in front of us."

Ultimately, Carolina should be one of the most interesting teams to watch come draft night. The festivities begin at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday.

Quarterbacks Zach Wilson and Trey Lance and tight end Kyle Pitts headline the final list of players who will be attending the 2021 NFL draft in person. 

Per the official release from the NFL communications department, a total of 58 prospects, including 13 on-site in Cleveland, have committed to participate in draft coverage next week:

After last year's draft had to be held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NFL is moving back to an in-person event this year with some restrictions in place. 

The league announced last month that three locations in Cleveland, including FirstEnergy Stadium, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Great Lakes Science Center, will have stages set up for the event. 

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will announce first-round picks on the main stage. Team personnel involved in the selection process are "permitted to gather in a Draft Room at a location of their choosing, whether that be their facility or elsewhere while following appropriate protocols."

In addition to the 13 in-person attendees, Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Penei Sewell and Najee Harris are among the players who are confirmed to be virtual participants. 

All 32 teams will also have one current or former player featured on the broadcast who will announce the pick for their club during the second night of the draft. 

The 2021 NFL draft will be held from April 29 to May 1. 

A majority of NFL draft experts are in agreement that the first three selections in the 2021 NFL draft will be quarterbacks. 

Trevor Lawrence has been a lock to go first overall long before the Jacksonville Jaguars secured that position with the league's worst record in January. 

The New York Jets appear set to land Zach Wilson after they shipped Sam Darnold to the Carolina Panthers. 

That leaves the San Francisco 49ers to select Justin Fields, Trey Lance or Mac Jones at No. 3. At the moment, Fields is the favorite to head to the Bay Area. 

With the first three picks basically set in stone, the intrigue will build with the Atlanta Falcons at No. 4, but if you examine recent mock drafts, the decision may be easier than you expect. 

Reviewing Latest Mock Drafts

Experts in Agreement on Kyle Pitts at No. 4

The only shake-up that could happen is if the 49ers select Jones or Lance over Fields, which would cause a trickle-down effect throughout the first 10 picks. 

Atlanta is the first team that is not expected to select a quarterback, even though a case could be made to land a signal-caller to eventually replace 35-year-old Matt Ryan. 

ESPN.com's Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr., Pro Football Focus' Sam Monson and CBS Sports' Chris Trapasso all have Florida tight end Kyle Pitts landing with the Falcons at No. 4. 

McShay noted Pitts' athleticism and ability to line up anywhere in the offensive formation as some of the reasons why he should be Arthur Smith's first draft pick as Falcons head coach. 

"There's of course a decent chance new coach Arthur Smith gets his QB of the future with this pick, but I'm not passing on a multidimensional offensive nightmare like Pitts," McShay wrote. "He can be used all over the formation and is nearly impossible to cover." 

If the Falcons add Pitts, they would have him, Calvin Ridley and Julio Jones available for Ryan to torch opposing defenses. 

In a division where offensive weapons are abundant between Christian McCaffrey in Carolina, Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara in New Orleans as well as Mike Evans and Chris Godwin in Tampa Bay, adding another standout pass-catcher is not as far-fetched of an idea as it would be in divisions with fewer superstars. 

If the Falcons want to compete in Smith's first season in charge, they may need to surround Ryan with as many options as possible and fill other needs in the latter rounds. 

Atlanta could add more protection for Ryan with Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell or bolster its defense with Alabama's Patrick Surtain II, but Pitts seems to be a good fit and an upgrade over Hayden Hurst. 

4 Quarterbacks Land in Top 7 Picks

Quarterback is the position of highest demand in the NFL draft. 

In 2020, Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert were off the board in the first six picks. The 2018 draft had three signal-callers land in the top seven. 

You have to go back to the 2017 draft for the last time only one quarterback was chosen in the top eight picks. That player was Mitchell Trubisky, who is no longer with the Chicago Bears. 

The 2017 draft is a perfect example of how risky taking a quarterback that high can be. The Bears ended up with Trubisky and did not sign him to a second contract. Kansas City landed Patrick Mahomes at No. 10 and he has already led the Chiefs to two Super Bowl appearances. 

If Lawrence, Wilson and Fields are all chosen in the first three picks, the Denver Broncos, New England Patriots and others may be forced into taking a first-round quarterback. 

That is why both AFC teams are projected to trade up into the top seven to get their potential quarterback of the future. 

Monson has Denver trading up to No. 6, a spot that has already changed hands between the Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins, to select Lance. Kiper has New England trading into the No. 7 slot to land Jones, and Trapasso has Denver going up to No. 7 to land Lance. 

Miami could be the most willing trade partner in the second half of the top 10. The Dolphins already swapped picks with San Francisco and Philadelphia and have "received calls" from teams further down the draft order, per NFL Network's Ian Rapaport. 

If the Dolphins are serious about a trade at No. 6, they have to consider the package they could receive compared to selecting a top wide receiver for Tagovailoa to work with. The southpaw's former Alabama teammates, De'Vonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle, and LSU's Ja'Marr Chase will likely be available at No. 6. 

A college scouting director questioned whether the San Francisco 49ers made the right move if they traded up to No. 3 in the 2021 NFL draft to target Alabama quarterback Mac Jones.

"Mac's 'Bama tape is really, really good. There's no denying that," the anonymous executive told Tom Pelissero of NFL.com on Thursday. "But you watch him in Mobile—this doesn't really feel like a big, big, big-time guy. You trade all that s--t, for him?"

In March, the Niners traded the No. 12 pick, first-round selections in 2022 and 2023 and a 2022 third-round choice in order to move up the nine spots in this year's draft.

San Francisco tipped its hand by giving up three straight years of first-round picks to land a top-five selection, which all but guarantees it's going to select a quarterback at No. 3.

Niners' brass, led by general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan, hasn't provided any insight about which signal-caller they're targeting, though.

"We looked at it as to move up to three, we had to feel good that there's three guys we'd be comfortable with leading our team for a long time and we couldn't make that decision before there was three guys so we had to feel that way with three," Shanahan told reporters.

All signs point to a quarterback-heavy start to the 2021 draft.

Clemson's Trevor Lawrence is the presumptive No. 1 choice of the Jacksonville Jaguars and the New York Jets are expected to follow with BYU's Zach Wilson.

That would give the 49ers their choice of the remaining QBs, a group led by Jones, Ohio State's Justin Fields and North Dakota State's Trey Lance.

"I'm really happy that they came," Jones said about Shanahan and Lynch after his pro day. "The trade is the trade. Hopefully, I impressed them. I would love to get a chance to play anywhere in the NFL, but obviously with a great franchise like that."

The 22-year-old Florida native is coming off a monster 2020 season that saw him complete 77.4 percent of his throws 4,500 yards with 41 touchdowns and just four interceptions while leading the Crimson Tide to a perfect 13-0 season and a national championship.

That said, while Jones possesses an NFL-ready skill set there are questions about whether his long-term upside can match the other top quarterback prospects in the class.

It's one of the many reasons there's plenty of intrigue about the Niners' choice at No. 3.

Alabama quarterback Mac Jones is now a slight betting favorite over Ohio State QB Justin Fields to become the San Francisco 49ers' choice with the third overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft.

DraftKings Sportsbook provided the full list of lines, which also includes two other signal-callers: North Dakota State's Trey Lance and BYU's Zach Wilson:

Clemson's Trevor Lawrence is the presumptive selection of the Jacksonville Jaguars with the No. 1 overall pick. Wilson is expected to land with the New York Jets with the second choice, but he'd likely become the favorite for the Niners if he's still available at No. 3.

The Niners' blockbuster trade with the Miami Dolphins in March to acquire the third pick signaled the team's likely interest in a new franchise quarterback as part of what will be a QB-heavy top 10.

If the first two picks go as expected, San Francisco will have its choice of Jones, Fields and Lance.

The 49ers used three different quarterbacks during the 2020 season because of injuries and general lackluster play at the sport's most important position. Jimmy Garoppolo, Nick Mullens and C.J. Beathard combined for a 90.1 passer rating, which ranked 20th in the NFL.

As a whole, the Niners ranked 21st in points scored, which squandered the efforts of the league's fifth-ranked defense.

If the decision comes down to Jones or Fields, the deciding factor may be whether the coaching staff expects the rookie to become a Week 1 starter or if they'll take a more conservative route by keeping Garoppolo in the starting role at the outset of the 2021 season.

Jones may be second to Lawrence in terms of NFL readiness thanks to his work in a pro-style offense with the Crimson Tide. An NFL quarterbacks coach told Bruce Feldman of The Athletic on Wednesday that the Bama standout is the "most advanced" of the QB prospects:

"In my mind, if I had to win right now, this year, he's the most advanced quarterback of any of them. I think Trevor's the best. I'm cosigning on him, but his system adjustment will be much bigger than Mac. Jones is gonna walk in Day 1 and just have to flip terminology because he's gonna know pro football. He's been coached by Sark [Steve Sarkisian]. He understands run checks, understands moving protections—not that these others don't, but he's on a different level."

Fields has more natural talent and playmaking ability, giving him ample long-term upside, but he faces a steeper learning curve in terms of reading defenses and working quickly through his progressions. Those issues were on display against Alabama in the national championship game.

The Niners, who reached the Super Bowl at the end of the 2019 season before fading to a 6-10 record last year, may opt for the NFL-ready option, so Jones' status as the favorite isn't a major surprise.

San Francisco's brass, led by general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan, has done a great job of keeping their preferred quarterback close to the vest, though.

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An anonymous NFL quarterbacks coach said Wednesday that Clemson's Trevor Lawrence is the "best" signal-caller in the 2021 NFL draft, but also noted they would take Alabama's Mac Jones if they had to win "right now."

The coach explained to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic why Jones is the "most advanced" QB in the star-studded 2021 class:

"In my mind, if I had to win right now, this year, he's the most advanced quarterback of any of them. I think Trevor's the best. I'm cosigning on him, but his system adjustment will be much bigger than Mac. Jones is gonna walk in Day 1 and just have to flip terminology because he's gonna know pro football. He's been coached by Sark [Steve Sarkisian]. He understands run checks, understands moving protections—not that these others don't, but he's on a different level.

"The question is, are Mac Jones' physical tools worthy of being a top-five pick or even first-round? I don't know that his physical abilities warrant that, but if you tell me that I have to win now, I think his physicals are good enough. How many guys in the history of football in 12 games against top college competition threw for 4,500 yards, throw 41 touchdowns and only four picks and completed 77 percent in a pro system? Some guys at pro days don't do 77 percent on air."

What makes this year's group of incoming quarterbacks, five of whom could come off the board inside the top 10, intriguing is the wide range of their skill sets.

Lawrence has been an elite prospect since high school and lived up to the hype every step of the way. He's the likely Rookie of the Year favorite and presumptive No. 1 pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Jones' experience with the Crimson Tide makes him another potential instant-impact option who could also have a long, successful career as a backup if he can't establish himself as a franchise QB thanks to the traits mentioned by the quarterbacks coach.

Then there's a fast riser in BYU's Zach Wilson, a dual-threat playmaker in Justin Fields and a high-upside wild card in North Dakota State's Trey Lance.

The NFL coach's comments add another layer to the discussion. If an NFL team was playing a playoff game tomorrow, would they pick Jones over the other four standout prospects?

It's a hypothetical scenario with no barring on the draft, as front offices are focused on the next 10 years, not one game, but you could make an argument in favor of Jones based on his play for Alabama.

He's coming off a two-game playoff run for the Tide in which he threw for 761 yards with nine touchdowns and no interceptions in wins over Notre Dame and Ohio State to complete a perfect 13-0 season.

Perhaps that makes him an ideal fit for the San Francisco 49ers, who reached the Super Bowl in 2019 but slid to 6-10 last season amid unsteady quarterback play.

The Niners traded up to No. 3 in the draft, signaling their likely interest in adding a QB, and someone like Jones who can hit the ground running with an otherwise talent-laden roster makes sense on paper.

Little more than one week away from the 2021 NFL draft, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay released a joint three-round mock draft with several notable picks in the top 10.  

Per the rules listed, rather than being a mock draft predicting what will happen, this assignment is what Kiper and McShay would do if they were picking for teams. 

Picking for the San Francisco 49ers at No. 3 overall, Kiper said he would take Ohio State's Justin Fields in that spot. 

Other notable selections saw Kiper project the New England Patriots making a deal with the Detroit Lions for the seventh pick to take Mac Jones and Trey Lance going to the Denver Broncos at No. 9 overall. 

It's widely assumed that the Jacksonville Jaguars will take Trevor Lawrence and the New York Jets will select Zach Wilson with the top two picks. 

Barring a surprise in either one of those spots, the drama really begins with the 49ers at No. 3. Since San Francisco made the trade with the Miami Dolphins for that pick on March 26, there's been near-unanimous agreement in expert mocks that Jones is going to be the pick. 

Over the past week, though, there have at least been signs that Fields and Lance are still in the mix. Both quarterbacks designed their second pro days with 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan's offensive system in mind. 

ESPN's Dan Graziano reported that San Francisco was "extremely involved" in Lance's workout on Monday. The North Dakota State star also recently started working out with quarterbacks coach John Beck at Shanahan's request. 

San Francisco's pick will have a significant ripple effect on the rest of the top 10. Atlanta at No. 4 could go with a quarterback if it likes one of the options still on the board.

The Patriots and Broncos seem likely to target a quarterback if the player(s) they covet are still available. The Carolina Panthers at No. 8 could get involved in that market, depending on how head coach Matt Rhule feels about Sam Darnold's long-term potential. 

It's no secret that quarterback is the one position that every NFL team needs to have an answer for in order to compete for a championship year after year.

With five quarterbacks seemingly boasting first-round talent in this class, it's hardly a surprise to see so many teams having either made a move or potentially plotting a move up to get one of them on their roster. 

All of the draft's quarterback questions will be answered on April 29 when the first round begins.