Florida football: Is Kyle Trask better than Alabama’s Mac Jones?

The two quarterbacks who have seen their draft stock go up and down the most during this offseason were former Florida Gators quarterback Kyle Trask and former Alabama quarterback Mac Jones.

Trask has been mentioned as a potential first-round pick and has also been discussed as a Day 2 pick.

There are rumors that the New Orleans Saints want him to replace retired Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees, but there are other teams that Trask fits well too. It has been a mixed bag when it comes to Trask’s draft stock.

For Jones, he is talked about as a top-three pick in the draft or a guy that will fall late into the first round. However, many feel he will be drafted in the top 10 of the 2021 NFL Draft.

It is rumored that the San Francisco 49ers traded up to pick three for him, but some, including myself, find that hard to believe.

That poses the big question: Who is better between Kyle Trask and Mac Jones?

Let’s start with their 2020 stats, where both players were Heisman finalists. Trask threw for 4,283 yards, 43 touchdowns, and only eight interceptions in 12 games. He also added three rushing touchdowns to give him a total of 46 touchdowns in 2020.

Jones threw for 4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns, and only four interceptions last season. He ran for one score too, so Jones ended last season with 42 total touchdowns in 13 games.

So the stat advantage goes to Trask, but stats do not tell the whole story. It is all about the eye in the sky, which makes the decision harder.

Trask made some “wow” throws in 2020. There were times that I felt that he was going to keep progressing and become a starting quarterback in the NFL. However, for every wow throw, Trask also had a head-scratching throw. There were times Trask looked lost out there and like he doesn’t have any command of the game.

Trask did have the No. 1 player in the 2021 NFL Draft to throw the ball too, Kyle Pitts, which helped. He also had Kadarius Toney, who is likely going to be a first-round pick, and Trevon Grimes, who should be solid in the NFL.

Even after listing those weapons, Jones somehow had even better weapons. He was throwing passes to the Heisman Trophy winner, wide receiver DeVonta Smith. Smith is the best wide receiver I have ever scouted, and Jones had Jaylen Waddle, who is going to be a top 20 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

At Alabama, Jones also had future first-round pick running back Najee Harris, something Trask did not have. The elite Alabama running game definitely made things easier for Jones and having an offensive line that has elite talent did too. Alabama’s entire offensive line will likely be Day 1 and Day 2 picks. In contrast, Trask’s best offensive lineman was Stone Forsythe, who is underrated but not not the same level as an offensive lineman from Alabama.

Even though he had tons of DUDES around him, Jones played well in 2020. He only threw four interceptions, and he was able to make big-time throws when Alabama needed them most. I would give the edge to Jones on the field, but not by much.

There is one more part to the evaluation process, and it is the off-field evaluation. What kind of leader and person are you? Now, I do not know either of these two kids personally, but I think they are both great leaders from how I see them conduct themselves. However, Jones does have a run-in with the law, and having a DUI on his record is a major red flag.

So with all that said, it comes down to a couple of things for me. Where are you going to draft this player, and what are you going to get from him in the NFL? If Jones goes No. 3 overall, that will be a major reach in my eyes. I would rather have Trask in the second round than Jones in the top 10. It will be interesting to follow both of their careers, and obviously, a significant factor of this debate will be where they get drafted.

So, is Trask better than Jones? At this point in time, who knows, but time will tell.