Jan 6, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) looks on during a practice session before the College Football Playoff national championship game against the Washington Huskies at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
J.J. McCarthy was highly accomplished during his career at Michigan, but he didn’t always get a chance to showcase his skills. In fact, Michigan often was content to run the ball and suffocate opponents with their defense, which left McCarthy doing very little. But now McCarthy has entered the NFL Draft and has a chance to show teams what he can do. And at least one team apparently has the former Wolverines quarterback high on their draft board.
Destin Adams, who covers the Indianapolis Colts, reported on X Wednesday that NFL teams are much higher on McCarthy than he had imagined. Adams even says he was told one team has McCarthy ranked as their No. 2 QB in the draft.
The #NFL is significantly higher on JJ McCarthy than I ever could have imagined.
I had a direct source today share that a team in the NFC has him as their QB 2.
— Destin Adams (@TheDestinAdams) February 14, 2024
McCarthy is coming off a national championship-winning season with Michigan. But just because his team won the title doesn’t necessarily make him the best quarterback prospect. He is a legitimate dual-threat prospect, but most people don’t view him as anything close to a game-breaker.
Last season, McCarthy passed for over 300 yards in a game just once. Over Michigan’s final six games, McCarthy passed for more than 200 yards just once.
Though he lacks the gaudy statistics, some teams likely see a playmaker in McCarthy who can scramble, move around the pocket, and not make mistakes. At 6-foot-3 and 202 pounds, he’s also bigger than many people realize.
In addition to McCarthy, Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix are often mentioned as some of the top QB prospects in the 2024 draft. We’ll find out come April just how much a team likes McCarthy.