I posted this in the “Jaylen Waddle is Odell Beckham” thread… but seems more pertinent here.
His arm strength is a very real concern… especially when he tries to throw without a perfect base.
Here is a link to the video I watched when I noticed this play… and it can be viewed at 5:40 into the video.
And the most concerning throw for me was against Georgia. Waddle ran a deep over from the left slot. He was being trailed by a LB that had no chance… with a safety still slightly to the inside. Jones had a clean pocket and some time to step into the throw. He launched it at his own 17 from the right hash, and Waddle had to slow down considerably to make a jumping contested catch at the UGA 42 yard line. He was still inside the numbers on the field… which means the ball was throw less than 10 yards horizontally… and traveled only 41 yards vertically. The actual air distance was less than 45 yards. A good throw would have been outside the numbers and a little further downfield… but his arm strength may have prevented it.
Here is a screen shot (little grainy I admit)… that shows Waddle already behind the LB and he was only going to increase that separation if allowed to run. Waddle is already at the 47 yard line, with the LB trailing at the 49 yards line.

Now another screen shot of the point that Waddle has to jump BACK TOWARDS the lline of scrimmage to catch the severely underthrown ball…

The ball is still in air not quite to Waddle’s right hand (with white glove) at near the 43 yard line. Waddle had to slow up so much that the LB was able to erase a 2 yard deficit and contact Waddle have he was only 4 yards further downfield.
One more view of same play… showing Waddle completely turned around WAITING on the throw.

It is not just 1 throw either. I posted many instances on the other thread of how Jones consistently underthrows deep targets. He also struggled considerably to generate any kind of velocity on throws where is not able to deliberately set his feet. Watch the next play on that video (starts at 6:11), and Mac is barely able to get the ball to travel 25 yards when he is not able to step into the throw. He still had his feet on the ground, but just moving backwards a bit.
And there is COLD weather. Jones has played 1 game in cooler weather (36 degrees)… against Arkansas in 2020. He completed 24 passes for 208 yards (8.67 YPC)… with ZERO attempts on passes 20 yards or longer downfield. Jones has played almost every college game in the south with warm temps, and typically not much wind in those stadiums. How would a guy with an average arm at best do in potentially cold and windy places like Chicago, Green Bay, New York, Philly, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Buffalo, or New England? He might not have to play many games in cities like those… but I would not want him as my guy in a snowy, windy, or rainy January game.
Here is a quote from Daniel Jeremiah as well:
“Jones has average size and athleticism for the quarterback position,” Jeremiah wrote. “He’s operated out of the shotgun and pistol, showing incredible accuracy, efficiency and poise. He is a high-effort thrower, with slightly above-average arm strength. He’s at his best on touch throws, where he can anticipate and place the ball on the proper shoulder of his target. He shows toughness to hang in versus pressure, although he rarely faced it with an elite offensive line protecting him.
“He isn’t much of a threat as a runner and he lacks the twitch to consistently escape and buy extra time. Jones should become a starting NFL quarterback, but his lack of twitch and athleticism will limit the playbook with the way the game is trending.”
“High effort thrower” is not the description I want to see when looking for a top level QB.
I mentioned in my other post on the Waddle thread… but it is difficult to find a Mac Jones throw that travels more that 52-54 air yards… and he left several of those throws short even when fully stepping into the throw. You can find video of Colt McCoy throwing 55 yards in the air. That is the type of arm I think Jones possesses.