Coming off a huge national championship win and showing the whole nation his talents, Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy looks to bring his championship pedigree to the next level as he enters the 2024 NFL Draft.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Wolverine’s leading man:
Vitals
Height: 6-3
Weight: 202
Class: Junior
Strengths
A proven leader who has guided his program to a championship, J.J. McCarthy has all the intangibles you are looking for out of a quarterback at the next level. McCarthy’s fiery competitive nature, his poise, and his ability to lead a team won’t be overlooked come draft day.
McCarthy is undersold in his NFL level tools, but with excellent athleticism, and enough arm strength for the next level, he can clearly develop into a solid starter at the next level. McCarthy possesses solid ball control with the ability to layer his passes and guide the football from various throwing positions or put the ball into awkward spots between or over defenders. With snappy decision-making and a quick release, McCarthy can operate well within structure and will thrive early on in an offense that puts emphasis on reading the field and getting the ball out quickly. McCarthy also possesses plenty of ceiling to grow with his athleticism and poise really giving him room to grow.
Though he was limited in his own offense because of the structure McCarthy still had a solid final year with the Wolverines with 2,991 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and maintaining a passer rating of 167.4 during his championship run.
Weaknesses
McCarthy’s most obvious flaw is going to be his lack of usage in crucial games. His lack of experience throwing the ball around the field is going to lead to plenty of questions about why he was pulled back as well as if he can be the primary engine of his offense at an even higher level.
There are times in games when McCarthy will hesitate on bigger throws and pull the ball down to find another option and seemed to lack the arm strength to make the bigger throw down the field and outside the hashmarks which may limit his offensive capability.
Projection
There is going to be a team that falls in love with McCarthy at some level during the NFL draft. There aren’t many quarterbacks that can come in and operate right away and McCarthy can do just that given the system he came out of. There isn’t quite enough to love in regards to his deep ball passing ad lack of usage to stick him high up in the draft, but teams are going to see a quarterback that can ultimately play in the league. McCarthy is a perfect quarterback akin to Andy Dalton who can come in and win you some games as well as develop within the program, but is not someone who is going to be a franchise quarterback in the short term.
Projection: Day two selection
