Alabama quarterback Mac Jones has been one of the biggest risers in this year's lead up to the NFL Draft. At the start, he was disregarded precisely because he was on an Alabama squad loaded with talent. Now, some have him going as high as third overall to the San Francisco 49ers. 

Mac Jones is one of the more divisive prospects in this class and while it is widely accepted that he is a first-round talent, he could land anywhere.

Of all the quarterback prospects, Jones may have the highest football IQ. He can go through his progressions quickly and is not overly dependent on the first read. Jones has excellent pocket awareness and moves well in that limited space. This is the type of play extension that he provides.  

Mac Jones throws with anticipation and has an advanced understanding of the game and coverages. Jones throws with good accuracy, especially in short and intermediate situations. 

The downside to Jones is that while he has a high floor and is NFL-ready, he also has a low ceiling. He has limited physical traits and does not possess that cannon arm that worries defenses when going deep. Jones will also face scrutiny because of the abundance of future NFL players on the Crimson Tide roster. 

He had the luxury of throwing the ball to the likes of Devonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle. This wide receiver duo will probably be drafted before Jones. If for some reason the passing attack was stalling, he could just hand the ball over to Najee Harris and let him work. Harris is also expected to be selected in the first round. The Alabama offensive line ensured that Jones had a clean pocket to work with throughout the 2020 season as well.

With all of this being said, below are the three ideal destinations for Mac Jones.

1. New England Patriots 

The Patriots are picking 15th overall, which is good value for players of Jones' caliber. Cam Newton is under a one-year contract to play in Foxborough, but at 31 years old and with all the wear-and-tear he endured, Newton is not a long-term solution. 

Mac Jones' game is mature enough that he can start on day one, but he would benefit from sitting out some games in his rookie season to learn the team's offense. Newton's play style is nothing close to Jones', but Jones can still learn a lot from the former MVP.

New England has and continues to have one of the best offensive lines in the league. This is one of the reasons why Tom Brady's career is still going strong to this day. The Patriots line will protect Jones and give him precious time to diagnose opposing defenses. 

The Patriots uncharacteristically spent big money in the offseason and Jones would have several weapons to work with, especially the tight end combination of Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith. Having reliable targets will speed up the young signal caller's development and build up his confidence. 

On the other side of the ball, the defense should get better with the additions of pass rusher Matthew Judon and linebacker Kyle Van Noy. The additions to the Patriots defense means there will be less pressure on Jones to win games via shootout; they won't have to. 

2. Washington Football Team

Washington has the 19th overall pick, so they may have to trade up to snag Mac Jones, depending on how the draft shapes up. 

Washington signed journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick to a one-year pact. Suffice to say, the team still needs to find its quarterback of the future. Should the front office decide to draft Mac Jones, the structure is present for him to thrive.

Washington's offensive line is a classic example of a unit being more than the sum of its parts. The biggest name on the unit is All-Pro guard Brandon Scherff, who was recently franchise tagged. There is no reason why the line should regress in the coming years. Jones should see plenty of clean pockets playing behind this unit if they were to draft him.

Jones will have a solid receiving threat in Terry McLaurin, who scares defensive backs, and a versatile weapon in Curtis Samuel, who regularly contributes in both receiving and rushing plays. 

Washington has an elite defense that is so good, that even having a game manager under center would be enough to win plenty of regular season games. 

3. Denver Broncos

The Broncos will be selecting ninth overall which, depending on who you ask, would be a reach to suggest taking Mac Jones. Trading down is a possibility for the Broncos too.

Denver has one of the most complete rosters in the league and appear to be a quarterback away from making playoff football a regular event again. Drew Lock is still under contract, but his play has not been impressive. 

If Mac Jones goes to the Mile High City, he will be reunited with his Alabama roommate Jerry Jeudy. Jeudy and Courtland Sutton are one of the best, young, receiving duos around. Add tight end Noah Fant and running back Melvin Gordon III into the mix and Jones has a lot to work with. 

The defense is slowly becoming better and acquiring cornerbacks Kyle Fuller and Ronald Darby in the offseason is one of the reasons why. 

Mac Jones continues to be one of the more intriguing quarterback names to follow along with as the NFL Draft rapidly approaches. Where he could end up is anybody's guess. If he's drafted by any of these three teams, he could find himself in an advantageous scenario.