NFL Rumors: Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy being viewed as a top-10 draft pick by teams

J.J. McCarthy isn’t widely regarded as one of the top quarterback prospects on mock drafts. Of the five NFL.com draft experts who made a first-round mock, only two projected the former Michigan Wolverines standout being called within the first 32 selections.

However, Denver Broncos insider Benjamin Allbright is singing a different tune. Contrary to what the media projects, Jim Harbaugh’s former starting signal-caller is highly regarded within NFL coaching and scouting circles.

To support his claim, Allbright tweeted:

“You’re gonna see a lot of chatter about McCarthy starting to ramp up as media catches up to/learns about where league scouting stands.”

He posted it while quoting his previous statement:

“League is definitely higher on McCarthy (top 10) and lower on Nix/Penix (day2/3) than media/fans according to the people I talk to.”

While Allbright did not mention any NFL team that ranked him high, playing and winning on the biggest college football stages makes J.J. McCarthy a solid choice for teams looking for a franchise quarterback. As the full-fledged starter, the Wolverines won two Big Ten Championships and a National Championship against Washington.

The Illinois native was also the Offensive Most Valuable Player during this year’s Rose Bowl. McCarthy is among the players named in the First Team All-Big Ten. In his third and final year at Ann Arbor, he earned the Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year honors as the conference’s best quarterback.

Beyond those accolades, McCarthy’s statistics should pique interest from NFL front offices. In his second season with Michigan, he defeated Cade McNamara for the starting role and finished with 208 completions, 2,719 yards, and 22 touchdowns. He completed 64.6 percent of his passes and threw only five interceptions.

A year later, he improved his completion percentage (72.3) and finished with more completions (240) and passing yards (2,991). J.J. McCarthy’s consistency and impressive decision-making has NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein projecting him to go to the Broncos at number 12. Meanwhile, his colleague, Eric Edholm, had McCarthy going to the Los Angeles Rams at 19.

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J.J. McCarthy has the talent to become a starting quarterback

While his statistics aren’t as astonishing compared to other QB prospects in the 2024 NFL draft, he kept Michigan’s offense moving forward by involving running back Blake Corum. However, he was impressive when asked to throw the ball more.

He had 21 completions for 287 yards, four touchdowns, and zero picks against Michigan State last October. A week before that game, McCarthy torched the Indiana defense with 222 yards and three touchdowns. More importantly, he did not throw an interception against nationally ranked teams.

However, Pro Football Network’s Ian Cummings pointed out his game’s flaws. J.J. McCarthy forces ill-advised throws, especially through tight coverages. He also hesitates at times to release the ball when under pressure.

But these issues are fixable, making his upside limitless. That’s why it isn’t surprising if a team drafting in the top ten will select him.