Michigan Wolverines quarterback JJ McCarthy didn’t have one of the best passing performances this past week at the NFL Combine. However, with the 2024 NFL Draft drawing closer, it appears McCarthy could go even higher in this year’s class.
Heading into the NFL Scouting Combine, McCarthy had a golden opportunity. With Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels all sitting out throwing drills, the Wolverines’ star had a chance to be the standout passer in Indianapolis. Instead, he dealt with bouts of consistency with his accuracy.
- JJ McCarthy stats (career): 6,226 passing yards, 160.5 QB rating, 49-11 TD-INT, 67.5% completion rate, 8.7 yards per attempt, 632 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns
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Despite that, pre-draft interviews and measurements are often viewed as just as important in the process. Evidently, those meetings and tests brought back even better results than NFL teams were expecting before arriving in Indianapolis.
According to Dan Graziano of ESPN, NFL executives are much higher on McCarthy than those outside the league. With just over a month until the 2024 NFL Draft, there’s a belief within the league that McCarthy could be taken within the first 10 picks.
- JJ McCarthy stats 2023: 167.4 QB rating, 2,991 passing yards, 22-4 TD-INT, 9.0 ypa
The 6-foot-2 passer displayed the size and bulk teams were looking for, weighing in at 219 pounds. He also posted one of the best 3-cone drill times in the 2024 class, putting his above-average athleticism on display. He also delivered on reports predicting that he would be one of the best interviews at the NFL Combine.
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While Graziano didn’t mention any specific teams that are particularly high on McCarthy, the Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos are all in the market for a young quarterback this year. New York could take McCarthy with the fifth overall pick or one of those teams could trade up to snag him. There’s also a possibility of Atlanta staying put at the 8th overall pick and snagging him.
McCarthy might not offer the long-term upside of a Maye, Williams or Daniels but clubs love his intangibles and a glowing endorsement from head coach Jim Harbaugh carries weight around the league. Once viewed as a likely second-round talent, McCarthy now seems destined to be a top-15 pick at the very least.
