NFL insider: J.J. McCarthy's pro day was better, but Jayden Daniels has 'much better arm talent'

Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

The 2024 NFL Draft is less than a month away, and many of the top quarterbacks, including J.J. McCarthy and Jayden Daniels, have already held their pro days. McCarthy’s was on March 22, and Daniels recently had his at LSU on Wednesday. While there were several other prospects going through drills, all eyes were on the quarterbacks.

Both players are first-round prospects, but many feel Daniels is a lock to go in the top-three picks. McCarthy’s NFL Draft projection is a bit more scattered, with his ceiling seemingly being at No. 4, and his floor likely no lower than No. 13, where the Denver Broncos pick, if he falls that far.

Leading up to the draft, we’re sure to hear several player comparisons between the top crop of quarterback prospects. The latest comes from an NFL source close to Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline.

“One source told me that while J.J. McCarthy of Michigan had a better pro day workout, Daniels is a much better arm talent by a wide margin. Few on hand believe the Washington Commanders will take McCarthy over Daniels with the second selection.”
Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline

This report doesn’t even mention the possibility of UNC’s Drake Maye becoming the second overall pick instead of Daniels or McCarthy, but as far as we know, that scenario is very much in play too.

Yet, Pauline’s report is fascinating. As much as McCarthy’s stock has soared since winning the CFP National Championship, he still can’t compare to the Heisman-winning QB who’s arguably just as dangerous with his arm as he is with his legs. As the report suggests, if Daniels has the better arm by a “wide margin,” then McCarthy likely is graded significantly lower than the LSU QB, at least in the eyes of one NFL talent evaluator.

However, all it takes is one team to fall in love with a prospect. Players don’t need all 32 teams to think they can be a superstar; they just need one. By the looks of it, McCarthy has plenty of teams intrigued by his skill set, but that doesn’t mean Daniels doesn’t have a lot of fans too.