Next Pats Podcast: Alabama QB Mac Jones shares this quality with Tom Brady

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At the 2021 Reese's Senior Bowl, Jim Nagy got an up-close and personal look at Alabama quarterback Mac Jones.

And evidently, he liked what he saw.

It's easy to understand why. Jones had a prolific season for the Crimson Tide en route to a College Football Playoff title. He completed 77.4 percent of his passes for 4,500 yards and had 41 passing TDs compared to just four interceptions.

Curran: Can Cam Newton's pitch to return persuade the Patriots?

Jones could be a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, so should the quarterback-needy New England Patriots target him? Nagy joined Phil Perry on The Next Pats Podcast this week to discuss that topic and break down Jones' skill set.

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

Nagy was high on Jones, who was one of the top practice performers at the Senior Bowl.

"The more I watch Mac, the more I like him," Nagy said. "He took his game to the next level during the College Football Playoff."

Nagy went onto explain that Jones' upside is high despite his lack of athleticism compared to other top quarterbacks in the class. And why is that the case? Because he has played at a high level despite not playing much.

"With Mac, it's the lack of playing experience," Nagy said. "When you look at him, he's still a relatively inexperienced player. His best football is still out ahead of him. The game happens really slow for Mac, which is awesome for a guy that hasn't really played that much, but it's going to slow down even more the more he plays."

Nagy referenced a few current quarterbacks that have found success primarily operating as pocket passers. That included Matthew Stafford and Philip Rivers, but Nagy also compared Jones' pocket presence to that of Tom Brady.

"I'm not trying to say Mac's Tom Brady, but he does have the same sense in the pocket. He has that same feel," Nagy said. "He has that eyes in the back of his head quality where he knows he has to slide or retreat or step up in the pocket and buy himself that little space he needs to get throws off. He does that consistently. You can't teach that."

Considering how lackluster the Patriots offense was in their first season without Brady on the roster since 1998, perhaps they'll have an interest in the quarterback with a Brady-like quality.

Also discussed in the new episode: Tom Curran and DJ Bean join the podcast to participate in a live mock draft. Nagy breaks down which wide receiver prospects are the best fit for the Patriots.

Check out the latest episode of the Next Pats Podcast on the NBC Sports Boston Podcast Network, or watch on YouTube below:

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