Mac Jones: I Secretly Wanted The Patriots All Along

Former Alabama quarterback Mac Jones had to sweat it out a little before being selected in the NFL Draft. He was projected as a top-five pick, at least by some, but ended up going to the Patriots at No. 15 overall.

But that's all good in the neighborhood, according to Jones.

“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 told reporters. “But it doesn’t really matter. You get picked. You’ve gotta take the opportunity and take advantage of it."

As OutKick's Bobby Burack noted, Jones is Patriots coach Bill Belichick's kind of guy. That's especially the case after Jones played for Nick Saban at Alabama. Both seek heady, efficient QBs who may not necessarily look the part, but get the job done, anyway.

Jones did that at Alabama, and is fresh off a national championship victory. And quarterbacking the Crimson Tide should only help him adjust to life at the next level. Alabama is more professionally run that some NFL organizations.

"Learn a new system, learn the new coaches, learn the new culture, and coach Belichick has done a great job establishing that throughout his time in New England," Jones said of what's next. "I’ve just gotta learn how to be a great teammate, do my job, and stick to what they’re telling me to do.”