Who Will Make Up the Next Batch of Late-Bloomer NFL QBs?

Mac Jones, San Francisco 49ers

In what seemed like destiny, the pro-ready, refined, and cognizant prospect out of Alabama slid down the board to the recently QB-needy New England Patriots in 2021. Mac Jones impressed out of the gate, earning a Pro Bowl nod and leading the Pats to a playoff berth in just his rookie season.

The smooth sailing ended there. In his sophomore season, with Joe Judge and Matt Patricia splitting playcalling duties, Jones struggled mightily, both in his ability on the field and in his ability to stay on it. The 2023 season saw his time with New England end quietly. Jones didn’t take another snap after a Week 12 benching.

After spending an insignificant year in Jacksonville, Jones signed in a backup role with the 49ers in 2025. When Brock Purdy had to take some injury time off, Jones seized the opportunity.

Jones helped to keep the hobbled 49ers afloat. In eight starts, he put up over 2000 yards and 13 touchdowns, recording a passer rating of 97.4.

While Jones will spend another year in San Francisco as a high-quality backup, it’s clear that’s not his career trajectory. Once he eventually hits the open market, expect a Malik Willis-type demand for him.

Trey Lance, Los Angeles Chargers

All roads apparently lead back to San Francisco in this thought exercise. In 2021, the 49ers traded significant capital to move up to the No. 3 selection in the draft, where they selected the North Dakota State phenom.

A physical prototype, the physical talent has always been visibly present for Lance. His rocket arm and scrambling ability, combined with elite production in just 17 college starts, convinced San Francisco brass to pull the trigger.

For how big a ‘bust’ some people consider Lance, it happened extremely quietly. A few uneventful spot-starts in his rookie year, two starts before a season-ending injury in year two. That was it for Lance with the 49ers.

Of course, the rise of Brock Purdy sped up Lance’s exit from San Francisco. After just four starts with the 49ers, Lance has since bounced around as a backup, only making two starts since.

The physical talent is still very apparent with Lance, and he doesn’t have some fatal flaw holding him back like other draft ‘busts’. He simply has never been given the shot to show the quarterback he can be with full organizational backing.  Once that happens, we could be talking about Lance the same way we do Darnold or Mayfield.

Zach Wilson, New Orleans Saints

Wilson is immediately different from the other QBs on this list. He hasn’t already shown signs of improvement like Jones, and the Jets gave him plenty of opportunity, unlike Lance.

Wilson looked terrible in most of his 33 starts with the Jets. The rocket-armed prospect out of BYU simply looked lost when he played. Like Lance, the physical talent has always been apparent; the production has not.

However, now two seasons removed from his time in New York, Wilson has secured a third contract to play backup. From Denver to Miami, and now to New Orleans, Wilson has managed to keep his NFL career alive.

He’s seen limited snaps since, but spending a year with Sean Peyton and Mike McDaniel is not a small thing. Wilson definitely a wild card, but the fact that Wilson keeps earning contracts is indicative of some improvement behind the scenes.

It would be shocking, but Wilson has the tools, and why not be optimistic that his time around some elite coaches has unlocked some of that potential?

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