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J.J. McCarthy is one of at least six quarterback prospects projected to be worthy of being selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.
He proved his potential at the national title game last season when he led the Michigan Wolverines to a dominant victory over the Washington Huskies. However, Tiki Barber is not among those who believe his potential makes him a first-round pick, and especially not for his former team, the New York Giants.
Speaking on WFAN 660, the former Giants running back claimed that McCarthy had the benefit of being in a run-based offense that featured Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards:
"Stop with the J.J. McCarthy thing. I'm tired. His film doesn't say he's a first-round quarterback because a lot of what he does doesn't translate. The scheme that he ran at Michigan – it didn't highlight the things that you need to do.
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"He's getting inflated because Jim Harbaugh won't stop talking about him. And now all of a sudden, he's a top-four quarterback. I don't buy it. It's not happening."
The Giants hold the No. 6 pick in the draft.
Meanwhile, J.J. McCarthy's former high school coach recently recalled the Wolverines champion QB's high school potential.
The draft projections on J.J. McCarthy have seemingly only gotten higher as time passed. Initially, he was a second-rounder, then a first-rounder; and now some have him going as high as the top five.
It is a testament to how greatly his national title win has elevated his stock. Besides his natural football gifts, he also showcased strong leadership and cool confidence.
Tim Racki, his former high school coach at Nazareth Academy in LaGrange Park, Illinois, recently recalled to Natalie Spala, a reporter for ABC's Washington DC affiliate WJLA:
"Everything you see at Michigan, you just put that at the high school level. That's how he is. He was mature beyond his years when he came to us and really kept everything in perspective.
"He had a spotlight on him when he was in eighth grade. He was always a team-first kid. The kids in the school loved him because he was very kind to everybody."
Racki also said that, based on McCarthy's Combine performance, there would be high hopes:
"He's going to immerse himself in whatever offensive scheme he is going to go into in the NFL. I knew when he went to the combine and when he was going to throw, I saw how much good weight he put on muscle-wise. I was thinking, 'Wow, see now they're seeing the arm, seeing what he can do, they're seeing the accuracy.'"
The 2024 NFL draft will be held from April 25-27, 2024.
Do you think the New York Giants should draft J.J. McCarthy? Do you agree with Tiki Barber? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
