An NFL Draft first round record is now partly the property of Alabama.

Six former University of Alabama players were selected in the first round of the NFL draft Thursday, tying a modern record for a single school.

The University of Miami originally set the record in 2004.

The night began with three Crimson Tide players selected in the top 10: receiver Jaylen Waddle (Miami Dolphins, No. 6), cornerback Patrick Surtain II (Denver Broncos, No. 9) and receiver DeVonta Smith (Philadelphia Eagles, No. 10).

Waddle will be reunited with former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in Miami; Smith played with Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts when both were in Tuscaloosa.

Quarterback Mac Jones went at No. 15 to the New England Patriots, and then the Las Vegas Raiders surprised much of the draft world by selecting offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood at No. 17. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. had Leatherwood ranked as this year’s No. 62 overall draft prospect.

Running back Najee Harris rounded out the class by going No. 24 to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Since 2008, Alabama has had 39 first-round picks, by far the most of any school.

NFC NORTH

CHICAGO

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com on Chicago’s move up and job security for GM Ryan Pace:

The Bears have moved past the fateful decision to trade up for a quarterback by . . . trading up for a quarterback.

That said, the move from No. 20 to No. 11 to land Justin Fields should go a long way toward persuading Bears fans and Chicago media to realize that G.M. Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy aren’t leaving within the next 12 months. And they shouldn’t be.

For starters, the team has been to the playoffs twice in three years. Before that, eight years had transpired between postseason appearances. Even so, there has been a nagging sense that both Pace and Nagy were on notice, and that a bad 2021 could mean no 2022, for either or both of them.

The trade up for Fields, four years after the fateful trade up for Mitchell Trubisky, means that the organization is willing to keep Pace and Nagy (who arrived in 2018) long enough to find out what they have in Fields — or that the front office is willing to risk replacing G.M. and/or coach with a new G.M. and/or coach who doesn’t want Fields.

Hopefully (and presumably) it’s the former. The Bears have made their latest move for a franchise quarterback, and it would be foolish to have Pace and Nagy on the hot seat while they figure out whether Fields will be the guy.

If Fields fails, Pace and Nagy will surely be gone. Ditto for team president Ted Phillips, who quite possibly made the recommendation to ownership to surrender next year’s first-round pick knowing that, like G.M. and coach, he’s pinning his own future to the move, too. If Fields flourishes, then the Bears will be better than they’ve been in a while, and the fans may finally forget that they could have had Patrick Mahomes and simply be happy that they have Justin Fields.

GREEN BAY

Retirement, or at least not playing in 2020 as a “retired” player, is an option/threat being bandied about by the QB AARON RODGERS camp.  John Breech of ESPN.com:

The Packers relationship with Aaron Rodgers has gotten so ugly that the reigning NFL MVP has apparently now decided that he would rather retire than play in Green Bay. 

According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, Rodgers is seriously considering retirement and it’s something that could happen “unless the situation [in Green Bay] is repaired to his liking.” If he does retire, hosting “Jeopardy” could be a post-retirement option for Rodgers.

The only piece of good news here for the Packers is that based on Rapoport’s phrasing, there may be a way for the Packers to salvage their relationship with their star QB. If the situation can be “repaired to his liking,” that at least leaves the door open for the Packers to fix things.

Of course, we don’t know what the Packers would have to do to repair the situation. It’s possible that Rodgers wants a contract extension, it’s possible that he wants to see Jordan Love traded or it could even be possible that he wants to see someone in the front office fired — According to Pro Football Talk, Rodgers “doesn’t like anyone in the front office” — or it could be a combination of all of these things or none of these things.

Michael Lombardi in The Athletic wonders why Mark Murphy and his henchpeople are being so tough on Rodgers.  Well, actually Lombardi thinks he knows – Murphy is power mad.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ timing has always been impeccable on the field. On Thursday, he showed it’s just as good off the field. With a strategic release regarding his displeasure with his treatment from the Packers front office along with a request — or, more like demand — to exit Titletown, Rodgers stole the stage of the NFL Draft’s first night. The reigning MVP, who helped Matt LaFleur and his staff win 26 regular-season games over the last two seasons, wants respect, and why wouldn’t he? Unlike Fredo Corleone from “The Godfather, Part II,” who demanded respect for doing nothing, Rodgers is entitled to a boatload of love from those in control in Green Bay.

In part, Rodgers is unhappy with his paycheck. Based on the current rise in the quarterback market from the Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson and Dak Prescott deals, Rodgers’ $27 million a year is below market value. Over the next three years, Rodgers would stand to lose over $20 million. Now, you might say that he signed his deal so he has to live with it, but that thought process is outdated. The market is constantly evolving, requiring teams to make adjustments to their star players’ salaries. The front office must be aware of the ever-changing landscape and how it affects the locker room. This willingness to adjust is not for everyone, only those who impact the team’s on-field result. And let’s face it: Where would the Packers be without Rodgers? A four-win team? Five? Making Rodgers happy is job No. 1 of the front office.

Job No. 2 is to treat him with the respect he deserves from all he has accomplished for the organization. During the 2014 draft when I was working with the Patriots, before they selected Jimmy Garoppolo in the second round, the head coach called Tom Brady to give him a heads-up about the pick, talk about the player and disclose the plan moving forward. I’m sure Brady was not happy the Patriots were selecting a quarterback, believing they had other, more pressing needs, but he understood he was facing eventual competition. It didn’t matter that it was in the second round or that Garoppolo was from a small school — Brady earned the right to know and was given the utmost respect.

The Packers front office has every right to draft a quarterback in the first round. The franchise will live long after Rodgers. And Rodgers has every right to be told beforehand that the Packers are considering drafting his eventual replacement. Last year, before the Packers drafted Utah State QB Jordan Love at No. 26, Rodgers should have received a call from Packers president Mark Murphy, the man who actually runs everything in Green Bay, informing him of the organizational plan moving forward with two high-valued players at the same position. In letting Rodgers hear about the Love selection the same way Packers fans throughout Wisconsin heard about it — from the announcement on TV — Rodgers had to feel insulted and belittled. Most of all, he was left wondering about his future in Green Bay. No matter how talented or popular players become, they all need reassurance, respect and honesty.

Normally, the love, reassurance and bond that unites a star player to his longtime team comes from his relationship with the owner. The Packers have no owner, so they have no one to help connect with Rodgers. An owner usually knows that the value of his franchise significantly increases because of the play of his megastar. Why do you think Colts owner Jim Irsay didn’t ask Andrew Luck to pay back his signing bonus when he retired? Irsay had every right to want his money, but he knew Luck increased the value of his team significantly. Irsay respected what Luck did for him. He might not have liked the announcement of his departure, but he knew the Colts were worth far more with Luck than they would’ve been without him in the post-Manning years. The Packers don’t seem to have anyone in their building with that sense of appreciation.

Murphy is the president who behaves like an owner but without the compassion or special bonds. He only craves more power. You would have to go back to the days before Vince Lombardi in 1959 to find a Packers president wielding the amount of power that Murphy does. Murphy splintered the Packers’ organizational chart the minute former general manager Ted Thompson retired. Thompson had control of all football operations written in his contract by former Packers president Bob Harlan. Once Murphy came on board, he couldn’t wrestle away that power until Thompson walked away. Then Murphy made everyone on the football side, including coaching and scouting, report directly to him, making him essentially the king of all things in Packers Land.

Murphy loves the power and has shown little or no concern when it comes to Packers history. Firing Mike McCarthy might have been the right move in 2018, but doing it after losing a Week 13 game to the Cardinals was the wrong time. McCarthy had the most wins of any Packers coach in the Super Bowl era. He has the second most wins in franchise history, trailing only Curly Lambeau. The Packers reached the playoffs nine times with McCarthy, defeating the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV, and Murphy cast him aside in the middle of the season as if he meant nothing to them. There is a street in Green Bay named after McCarthy; why couldn’t Murphy wait four more weeks, let McCarthy maintain his dignity, then go their separate ways? McCarthy knew the end was near; he knew he was going to be fired. Why did Murphy have to humiliate him on a cold Sunday night in December? Because Murphy wants everyone to know he is the powerbroker. It happened then and it’s happening again now because, in his mind, everyone is an employee, not a part of history.

When it came time to hire a new coach, Murphy didn’t want an established coach, like Mike Shanahan, who could challenge the very fabric of his power base. He wanted someone who would play by his rules and do what he wanted, sacrificing experience and knowledge for keeping his power base.

After McCarthy was removed, the Packers had a golden opportunity to hire someone who could stimulate Rodgers’ mind and command his respect. Instead, they went with a young rookie head coach who presided over the No. 27-ranked offense in Tennessee in 2018, his only year as an offensive coordinator, hoping he would win over Rodgers — which is not easy. Rodgers might like LaFleur as a person, but can LaFleur win over the respect from Rodgers based on his shallow experience? This is not to say LaFleur was necessarily the wrong hire, and it’s not to take away from his talents as a coach. But because of his lack of experience as a head coach, Rodgers believed right away that he was the one carrying LaFleur, not the other way around.

A fair question to ask: How many wins would LaFleur have without Rodgers over the past two years? Six? Eight? Ten? Playoffs? I lean more toward 10 wins total and no playoffs. Because Rodgers knows he is the man carrying the team, he also knows he should be respected and paid for those services. He ain’t a rank-and-file employee — we all know that.

This feud between Rodgers and the Packers is not all about money. It’s about power, control and appreciation. And since Murphy is the one with all the power, he needs to start acting like an owner who appreciates those around him, starting with his No. 1 employee. As Lord Acton famously expressed it, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Murphy’s love of power could absolutely corrupt the Packers’ relationship with Rodgers. And it might already be too late to repair it.

See DENVER for more.

MINNESOTA

The Vikings tried to go up after they went down, but all was well from their viewpoint in the end. Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

The Vikings came into Thursday night’s first round with a lot of draft capital and they added more when they went on the clock for the 14th overall pick.

A trade with the Jets netted them the 23rd pick and two third-rounders while costing them a fourth-round selection. The Vikings then sat back and waited to see if their preferred player would get to them.

General Manager Rick Spielman said “we were a little tight in the draft room” during that wait because they worried someone else might tackle tackle Christian Darrisaw. As the tightness grew, Spielman said he tried to make a move that would ensure Darrisaw landed in Minnesota.

“Once we got down to about four or five picks, when we went down to 23, we did try to go back up because we wanted to try to make sure that we got Christian,” Spielman said, via the team’s website. “We were unable to. Fortunately, we did not have to. We were able to keep our extra picks that we gained and still got the player that we coveted. So, it worked out very well for us.”

The Vikings now have four third-round picks and three fourth-round picks, so trading up into the second round could be part of the plan on Friday night.

NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA

After wearing a typical tight end number in the Numeric Wild West of NCAA football, QB KYLE PITTS will be slinging a New Age tight end number in the ATL. Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts is the first high-profile rookie to take advantage of the new NFL rule loosening restrictions on jersey numbers.

The Falcons announced today that Pitts will wear the No. 8 jersey in Atlanta. Previously, tight ends could not wear numbers in the single digits.

Pitts wore No. 84 in college at Florida, but Cordarrelle Patterson has that number in Atlanta.

The Pitts No. 8 jersey will surely be a strong seller in Atlanta, where fans are hoping that Pitts proves to be a difference maker on a team that has missed the playoffs three straight years.

CAROLINA

The road not taken – – – the Panthers are all in on QB SAM DARNOLD and are paying him accordingly.  Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com:

When the Panthers passed on taking Justin Fields and Mac Jones with the eighth pick in the first round on Thursday night, it was a pretty clear sign that they’re rolling with Sam Darnold as their quarterback for the foreseeable future.

They confirmed that on Friday by announcing that they have exercised their option on Darnold’s contract for the 2022 season. The move guarantees his $18.858 million salary for 2022 and sets him up to make over $23 million over the next two seasons.

Word that the Panthers would pick up the option came quickly after the Panthers traded three picks to the Jets for Darnold, but General Manager Scott Fitterer said only that the team’s draft choices would have no impact on the “strong plan” they had in place for the quarterback.

Carolina also confirmed that they have exercised wide receiver DJ Moore‘s $11.116 million option.

NFC WEST

SAN FRANCISCO

Kyle Shanahan on the drafting of QB TREY LANCE and the ongoing situation with QB JIMMY GAROPPOLO:

After a month of endless speculation and debate that left coach Kyle Shanahan amused at the public discourse, the San Francisco 49ers let the world know who their next franchise quarterback would be Thursday night.

No, it wasn’t longtime betting favorite Mac Jones. Nor was it Ohio State’s dual-threat dynamo, Justin Fields.

It was Trey Lance, the player considered one of the biggest risks in the draft because of his small, 17-game sample at FCS powerhouse North Dakota State, but also the one who many believe boasts more upside than any quarterback in the draft.

With the Niners’ selection of Lance, this is the highest a team has drafted a quarterback only one season removed from a Super Bowl appearance in NFL history, surpassing the Green Bay Packers’ choice of Don Horn at No. 25 in 1967, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Lance’s addition was a bold choice befitting the equally daring move the Niners made to move from No. 12 to No. 3 to acquire him. It was also a stealthy operation that Shanahan and Lynch said had them taking great pains to keep secret their desire to ultimately select Lance, even as the Jones speculation swirled around them.

“We have been very high on Trey since the beginning, since day one,” Shanahan said. “Yes, the person everyone else is speculating about, we liked him, too, but it was just honestly to go through this whole process where no one has known — my friends, coaches, anybody — how John and I feel and how we felt this whole time.

“I would never have said it couldn’t have ended up being him, but I know how we felt about Trey the whole time, and to watch that happen and kind of watch everyone just assumes because a couple people say something that’s exactly how you feel, we weren’t going to work to correct that. At all. We thought that could be an advantage for us. … If the whole NFL is assuming you’re doing one thing and you’re not doing that, I’m not going to work hard to correct that. So, let that be.”

Kiper’s first-round winners and perplexing picks: The Pats got their guy, but a few teams reached

In selecting Lance, the future of incumbent starter Jimmy Garoppolo lingers, though Shanahan issued a mea culpa Thursday night for his comments made earlier this week.

On Monday, Shanahan was asked if he believed Garoppolo would still be on the team come Sunday. Shanahan said he could make no guarantees about the roster because he couldn’t guarantee anyone would even still be alive on Sunday.

Shanahan said Thursday he immediately called Garoppolo after the comment to let him know what he meant.

“I totally bombed that on Monday,” Shanahan said. “I hated how that came off. I talked to Jimmy about it right away. I even realized it when I did it. … It had nothing to do with Jimmy when I said I didn’t know if we’d be alive on Sunday. I was just trying not to give my typical answer of, ‘Guys, anybody could be traded if you get a bunch of ones. John could trade me and I shouldn’t be here on Sunday.’ That’s the answer for every person on our team.”

Shanahan went on to indicate that there are no immediate plans to trade Garoppolo, even after drafting Lance. That’s similar to the stance that Shanahan and Lynch had taken for most of the offseason but which seemed to soften when Shanahan made his comments Monday.

But other quarterback-needy teams such as the Chicago Bears (Fields), New England Patriots (Jones) and Denver Broncos (Teddy Bridgewater) acquired other quarterbacks this week, and there doesn’t appear to be an obvious landing spot for Garoppolo even if the Niners were motivated to trade him.

In addition, if the Niners did move on from Garoppolo, there’s no clear replacement for him in place as it would leave the 49ers with an unproven quarterback room consisting of Lance, Nate Sudfeld, Josh Rosen and Josh Johnson.

“Jimmy’s situation is, if he isn’t here on Sunday, I would be disappointed,” Shanahan said. “Because Jimmy is a quarterback who’s played one year and took us to a Super Bowl and played at a very high level. He’s had some unfortunate injuries, but I believe in Jimmy as a person, and he’s shown what he can do on tape. We made this move, it’s obvious what I hope and what I believe in with this guy coming in, but it would be a very tough situation if Jimmy’s not on our team. I want Jimmy to be here, and I want this kid brought along. I want to see how he does, and if it turns into a competition, it turns into a competition.”

How soon that might happen remains to be seen. In his abbreviated college career, Lance was equally adept using his arm and his legs to lead the Bison to a national championship in 2019. As a redshirt freshman, he threw 28 touchdowns with zero interceptions and became the only FCS player in the past 25 seasons to throw for at least 20 touchdowns and no interceptions. He also added 14 touchdowns and 1,100 rushing yards.

Lance was also the lone prospect among the top five quarterbacks to spend any meaningful amount of time playing under center and running many of the play-action concepts the 49ers like to employ consistently, which could help him adapt more quickly to Shanahan’s offense.

Although it would be unusual for a quarterback drafted as high as Lance to sit out his entire rookie season — Carson Palmer is the only one to do that in the common draft era back in 2003 — Lance didn’t seem like he was going to head to the Bay Area with any expectations for what his debut season could bring.

“I’m not really worried about it right away,” Lance said. “I’m just focused on getting there, learning as much as I possibly can, getting to know Jimmy and the guys in the room and learning and getting to know him and becoming close with him and just learning as much as I can and at that point, obviously competing.”

Of course, the 49ers’ long journey to land Lance had to come with one more dramatic twist in the 24 hours before it became official. On Wednesday, word made its way to Lynch that Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers might be available for trade.

Lynch made the call, but it didn’t go anywhere.

“You’re talking about the MVP of our league last year,” Lynch said. “Yeah, we inquired. It was a quick in to the conversation [but] it wasn’t happening. As we said, we have been convicted and excited for a long, long time so we went right back to where we’ve been and that’s really excited about adding Trey Lance to the 49ers and we’re thrilled about that.”

AFC WEST

DENVER

Weeks ago, the DB heard second-hand from a Broncos source that Denver had something much bigger in mind than just drafting a quarterback.  We weren’t all that impressed that QB TEDDY BRIDGEWATER filled that bill.  But now this, from Tyler Sullivan of CBSSports.com:

A year after the Packers opened their 2020 draft by selecting a quarterback, Aaron Rodgers has opened the 2021 NFL Draft by reportedly telling Green Bay he does not wish to return to the team. In fact, as of the eve of this year’s first round, the reigning NFL MVP was reportedly even convinced he’d be traded to the 49ers. Now, however, it’s not San Francisco, but rather the Broncos, who appear to be front-runners to land Rodgers in a trade. According to CBS Sports senior reporter Jonathan Jones, Denver has “put together an impressive deal” to acquire the longtime Packers star.

Jones’ report comes on the heels of a separate report from Mark Schlereth, who told 104.3 The Fan in Denver that a Rodgers-to-Broncos trade is “as close to a done deal as it can get.” ESPN previously reported that the Packers have insisted they will not deal the veteran QB, though Rodgers has both publicly and privately dropped hints about his uncertain future in Green Bay since 2020.

The Broncos are also fresh off trading for another veteran QB, acquiring former Panthers starter Teddy Bridgewater on Wednesday. New general manager George Paton suggested that Bridgewater will provide competition to a room already featuring former second-round pick Drew Lock, although the latter would likely be expendable in the event Rodgers is actually acquired.

LAS VEGAS

One of the peculiar things about Mike Mayock’s tenure with the Raiders has been his willingness to draft a player before his time, without trading down to get him at a later spot more appropriate to how the rest of the draft graded him. Kevin Patra of NFL.comexplores the phenomenon:

Once again, the Las Vegas Raiders stunned the Draft Industrial Complex, selecting Alabama offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood No. 17 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. Most media scouts didn’t rank the OT anywhere near a first-round prospect.

It was just the latest example of general manager Mike Mayock, coach Jon Gruden and the rest of the Raiders scouting staff rejecting the consensus outside their building.

“He was the highest-rated player on our board at that time, offense or defense,” Mayock said Thursday night, via the team’s official website.

At 6-foot-5, 312 pounds with athleticism, Leatherwood was a three-year starter at Alabama at both guard and left tackle, where he spent the past two seasons.

Immediately the pick was panned by pundits as the latest example of the Raiders reaching for a prospect that could have been on the board in the second round. NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah had Leatherwood ranked as his No. 62 overall player.

For his part, the Bama product couldn’t give a plug nickel what anyone else thinks.

“It definitely put a chip on my shoulder,” Leatherwood said. “It bothered me a little bit, but at the same time I’m not a media guy. I’m not the type of dude to get caught up in all that garbage, because I know what my film said about me and the GM and the coach, they know that as well. I’m just grateful that they watched that film and saw me as good enough to be the 17th overall pick. I’m more than excited to get to the program and prove them right.”

Leatherwood is just the latest example of the Raiders disagreeing with the outside world.

The best example of stunning first-round moves under Mayock was selecting defensive end Clelin Ferrell No. 4 overall in 2019. Last year, cornerback Damon Arnette (No. 19 overall, 2020) was viewed by many as a reach on draft night. Henry Ruggs III (No. 12 overall in 2020) wasn’t considered by most as the top WR in that draft either.

The point is not that NFL teams should agree with the consensus or anyone outside their own building. But up to now, the perceived reaches haven’t panned out.

“We knew it would be controversial,” Mayock said, via the Las Vegas Journal-Review. “We completely understand that.”

Going against the grain, with several other offensive linemen on the board, the Raiders are putting their faith in their scouting staff and line coach Tom Cable that they were right this time around.

“Tom Cable, our offensive line coach, in all honesty, you’d have to ask Tom, but this might have been Tom’s favorite player in this entire class,” Mayock said. “I mean, Coach Cable has been all over him for months now since the first time he saw the tape. Coach Gruden loved this guy. Our scouts loved this guy.”

The one trait many media scouts liked about Leatherwood was his scheme-versatility and ability to play both guard and tackle. Mayock said the club plans to start him at right tackle on a completely overhauled offensive line.

In the third draft with Mayock and Gruden, the Raiders took another big swing in the first round. They desperately need to hit this time around.

AFC EAST

NEW ENGLAND

Last year, there were four consensus top of the draft tackles.  T TRISTAN WIRFS was last off the board to the Buccaneers at #13 and today it is easy for Tampa Bay to act like he was the guy they wanted all along.

One year from now, will they be talking that way about the Patriots and their brilliance in waiting on QB MAC JONES?

As for Jones, he says he is thrilled to be a Patriot at #15, rather than a 49er at #3.  Chris Mason of MassLive.com:

Heading into the NFL Draft, Mac Jones was widely projected to wind up in San Francisco.

When the 49ers threw a curveball and took Trey Lance with the third overall pick, Jones wound up falling another 12 spots and landing in New England’s lap at No. 15 overall. The Alabama quarterback didn’t mind the hour-long wait; Jones said Foxborough was actually his first choice.

“At the end of the day, you kinda just want to get the right fit. Secretly, I’ve really wanted to go to the Patriots all along. So I’m actually really happy that it happened,” Jones said on a Zoom call. “But it doesn’t really matter. You get picked. You’ve gotta take the opportunity and take advantage of it. Learn a new system, learn the new coaches, learn the new culture, and coach (Bill) Belichick has done a great job establishing that throughout his time in New England. I’ve just gotta learn how to be a great teammate, do my job, and stick to what they’re telling me to do.”

So was it about the Patriots that appealed to Jones?

The native Floridian played under Nick Saban at Alabama and has only been to Boston once, an apparently harrowing encounter where Jones said he almost lost his foot as a 10-year-old because one of his Crocs got stuck in an escalator. He’s gotten past that now though.

Related: Preorder a Mac Jones Patriots jersey

The first-rounder explained that he thinks Belichick’s team-first mentality fits with his football DNA.

“Honestly, New England is just a great place,” Jones said. “Watching them in past years, they do everything right. It’s all about the team. That’s kinda what I grew up knowing, is being a good teammate. And then obviously winning. It comes down to winning football games. New England has done that but they don’t look in the past. They just look in the future. So we’ve gotta just focus on trying to win games, take it day by day, and eventually you’ll win a lot of games.”

It’s the first time Belichick has spent a first round pick on a QB.  He sounded thrilled:

“Cam (Newton)’s our quarterback,” he said Thursday night, via The Providence Journal. “Whatever time Jarrett (Stidham) or Mac are ready to challenge and compete, we’ll see how that goes. But right now for Mac, he’s just got a lot of learning in front of him. I know he’s very anxious to get going and get started on it.”

The Patriots were long-rumored to be in the QB market, including potential trade-ups. Instead, after the 49ers took Trey Lance at No. 3, Belichick sat tight and landed Jones.

As is his wont, the legendary coach downplayed the pick.

“Mac was available at our pick, and he was a guy we spent a lot of time with. Felt like that was the best pick at that time for us,” Belichick said. “Look forward to working with him. He’s a smart kid. He’s been in a system that’s similar to ours. We’ve had a lot of good conversations with him. I think he’ll be able to process the offense. It’s obviously going to take a lot of time. See how it goes.”

THIS AND THAT

PETE PRISCO’S INSTANT ROUND 1 DRAFT GRADES

The first round grades of Pete Prisco are must reading as we wait each year for Day 2.  We can rest assured he won’t like the picks of Pittsburgh and Jacksonville’s #2.

1. Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson

Grade: A+

Lawrence will change the dynamic of this franchise for the next decade. They will win a Super Bowl.

2. Jets: Zach Wilson, QB, BYU

Grade: B

I like him as a player, but I would have taken Justin Fields in this spot. Fields will be a better quarterback.

3. 49ers: Trey Lance, QB, NDSU

Grade: C-

I just don’t see trading up with two first-round picks as the price to get a guy who is raw and needs time. Lance has skills, but he will need time.

4. Falcons: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida

Grade: A

He is a can’t-miss prospect. He is a mismatch nightmare. Great pick.

5. Bengals: Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Bengals

Grade:  B+

Love this player. He will be a big-time pass catcher as he joins former college teammate, Joe Burrow. But I would have taken an offensive tackle here.

6. Dolphins: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama

Grade: B+

I think he has the Tyreek Hill type of ability. I think he will help Tua Tagovailoa a ton. It works.

7. Lions: Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon

Grade: B+

They probably thought he wouldn’t be here, so they had to be happy he was. Sewell has a ton of talent and will upgrade that line in a big way.

8. Panthers: Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina

Grade: B

I liked Patrick Surtain more, but I get it. Horn is a feisty corner who will definitely be a good cover player.

9. Broncos: Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama

Grade:  A

I love his game. He is one of those corners who will be sound from the minute he steps on the field. He will be a star.

10. Eagles: DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama

Grade: B+

They needed to get another weapon to help Jalen Hurts, so I like the pick. When the corners went off, they had to be disappointed.

11. Bears: Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State

Grade: A

They gave up a lot, but they ended up with the second-best quarterback in the draft. It’s a bold move, but necessary.

12. Cowboys: Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State

Grade: B

Do the Cowboys really need a linebacker? I know their linebackers didn’t play as well last year, but this wasn’t a major need.

13. Chargers: Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern

Grade: B

He will be an immediate starter at left tackle, which fills a major need. Justin Herbert will be happy.

14. Jets: Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, USC

Grade: B+

They need to build the offensive line in front Zach Wilson. With Tucker, who can play guard or right tackle, they add to Mehki Becton from last year. Solid move to go get him.

15. Patriots: Mac Jones, QB, Alabama

Grade:  B

 It’s the perfect situation for him. He fits in the Josh McDaniels’ offense.

16. Cardinals: Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa

Grade:  B+

He will add another big-time playmaker to a defense that needed it. He can run and chase or rush off the edge.

17. Raiders: Alex Leatherwood, OL, Alabama

Grade: B

I don’t love this pick. They need line help, but he’s more of a second-round pick in my mind.

18. Dolphins: Jaelen Phillips, EDGE, Miami

Grade: B

If his medical stays clean, it’s a good pick. They address a need that had to be filled. He’s loaded with talent.

19. Washington: Jamin Davis, LB, Kentucky

Grade:  A

This is one of my favorite picks of the draft. He will be a special player on a talented front seven.

20. Giants: Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida

Grade: B

He has the tools to really add a big-play threat to the offense. Trading down and getting a playmaker and a first-round pick next year is a good move.

21. Colts: Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan

Grade: B-

This is a kid with a lot of raw talent, but didn’t produce to that level. It will show better as he learns the tricks of the trade better. He fills a need.

22. Titans: Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech

Grade: B-

This is a boom-or-bust pick. If he’s healthy, this is a great pick. But injury concerns are real.

23. Vikings: Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech

Grade: A

I love this pick. I believe he will be the best tackle in the draft. It fills a need in a big way.

24. Steelers: Najee Harris, RB, Alabama

Grade: C

I don’t like picking backs in the first round. Good player, but backs should come later.

25. Jaguars: Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson

Grade: C+

He’s my favorite back in this class as a true air back. He will give them the speed they need in the backfield and help the passing game. But he’s still a back in the first round.

26. Browns: Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern

Grade: B

They’ve spent a lot of draft capital at corner in recent years. Newsome is a good, solid player but they have bigger needs.

27. Ravens: Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota

Grade: C

I know they needed help at receiver, but there are better options down the line.

28. Saints: Payton Turner, EDGE, Houston

Grade: C

I know they need edge help, but there were better options.

29. Packers: Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia

Grade:  B+

He has size and can run and addresses a major need. I like the pick a lot.

30. Bills: Gregory Rousseau, EDGE, Miami

Grade:  B-

The talent is there, but he didn’t play last year and it hurt his stock. He is a big power player who fills a need.

31. Ravens: Jayson Oweh, EDGE, Penn State

Grade: B-

He is raw and has a ton of talent, but he didn’t produce. He does fill a need.

32. Buccaneers: Joe Tryon, EDGE, Washington

Grade:  B

With the entire team back, it makes sense to draft another edge player with Jason Pierre-Paul getting up in the year.