The drumbeat over how Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy could be a first-rounder is getting louder as the 2024 NFL Combine approaches. Maybe after that, he’s solidified as a Day 1 pick.
But … is he a top-10 pick? As in, would a QB-starved team go for him after, say, Drake Maye, Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels get taken? In the latest NFL mock draft from our Christian D’Andrea, he’s not in the first round. But in the mock draft from The Ringer, McCarthy isn’t just a first-round — he’s going No. 8 to the Atlanta Falcons, who definitely need a quarterback. Intriuging!
Here’s the reasoning from Benjamin Solak:
Do I like this? No. Are Falcons fans furious with me? Probably. I don’t know what you want! The league is telling us this is going to happen. There are rumors McCarthy will go in the top 15, and this is one of the landing spots that makes sense. McCarthy reads to me as a Purdy-like quarterback in a Shanahan/McVay system: He has a quick release and movement skills, so as long as he does what his play caller tells him to, he can make the system go and add a little scramble stuff on top.
Make sure to check out our latest post-Super Bowl mock from Christian D’Andrea!