Mac Jones hasn't taken one snap in an NFL game yet. However, NBC Sports' Chris Simms already has Jones as his No. 30 ranked quarterback in all of football.
"He is the most NFL-ready quarterback to come out of the draft this year," Simms said Tuesday on "Pro Football Talk."
Simms made it clear throughout the draft process how highly he thinks of Jones. He, like many other evaluators, believed the 49ers would select Jones with the No. 3 pick in this year's draft. That of course didn't happen.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Jones fell to the New England Patriots at No. 15, after the 49ers instead ignored all the outside noise and selected North Dakota State QB Trey Lance. Despite Lance and Jones both starting 17 games in their college careers, Simms calls Jones an "experienced rookie" because of his time at Alabama and facing SEC competition.
Lance played in the FCS, which is considered to have less talented players compared to who Jones went against.
Simms ranked Lance as his No. 38 QB in the NFL right now, eight spots behind Jones.
"I still have questions with the lack of playing time, the mechanical issues, the consistency hitting some passes that you go, 'Wait, hey you're the No. 3 pick in the draft?' " Simms said when discussing Lance.
San Francisco 49ers
"I'm not supposed to see that many where the guy had to go to the ground or turn around or we just missed that throw all together. Those are the things I just have to see improve a little bit before I can make these guys top-25-type talents in the NFL."
Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch clearly saw the potential Lance has and rolled the dice on the young QB after making a massive trade up from No. 12 to No. 3 in the draft. With his ability to run the ball, Lance might even find ways onto the field sooner than expected.
RELATED: Five 49ers who could turn into Pro Bowl players this season
Lance and Jones both are likely to start the season as backups. Jimmy Garoppolo is the starter in San Francisco, and Cam Newton is in line to start again for New England. Simms doesn't expect Jones to start, but does believe he would be ready if Bill Belichick asks him to do so.
"He's NFL ready, there's no doubt about it," Simms said. "That's the kind of football he played at Alabama. If there is a rookie that could come in there and start, it would be this guy."