Michigan Wolverines star J.J. McCarthy has established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in college football. As he leads Michigan into the College Football Playoff picture this season, it reportedly might not be his last run at a national championship.
McCarthy, a 247 Sports’ four-star recruit in 2021, has kept improving as the Wolverines’ quarterback. The 6-foot-3 passer made his debut in 2021 against Western Michigan, throwing his first collegiate touchdown pass. While he served as Cade McNamara’s backup, the Wolverines were confident he could be a long-term starter.
- J.J. McCarthy stats 2023: 1,799 passing yards, 18-3 TD-INT, 199.1 QB rating, 78.1 percent completion rate, 93.7 ESPN QBR, ypa, 10.6 yards per attempt, 168 rushing yards, 3 rushing touchdowns
Related: Week 8 fantasy rankings
He made the second-year leap in 2022. Jim Harbaugh made it a quarterback competition, with both players receiving a start in the first two weeks. McCarthy took over as the Michigan quarterback in Week 3 and the rest has been fantastic history for the Wolverines.
With Michigan surging up the top-25 rankings and their star quarterback in the mix to join the list of Heisman Trophy winners, life is great in Ann Arbor. During this time, the most beloved figure in Ann Arbor has generated a lot of attention from draft analysts and played well enough to single-handedly draw more NFL scouts to watch Wolverines’ games. However, NFL teams might have to wait even longer than expected.
According to Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline, the present feeling around Michigan’s football program is that McCarthy will forego the 2024 NFL Draft and return for his senior season. The intention would be to add more strength, building up to prototypical NFL size.
Interstingly, per Pauline, part of the rationale might also be due to how talent evaluators view him. Scouts and draft advisory consultants have reportedly graded McCarthy as a Day 2 talent, at least as of right now.
Related: 2023 college football rankings
If McCarthy is being told he’ll be a Day 2 pick or only have a chance to sneak into late Round 1, there’s a strong case to return to Michigan next season. With Caleb Williams and Drake Maye in the NFL at that point, McCarthy would be the best quarterback in college football and the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
McCarthy’s return in 2024 would also likely guarantee a spot in the playoffs. This is the final year of the four-team playoff, with expansion to a 12-team format happening next season. If Harbaugh and McCarthy stay together for one more year, it’s reasonable to believe Michigan will make the CFP.
