It wasn’t so long ago that former Michigan football quarterback J.J. McCarthy was thought of as not even a day one NFL draft pick. But in recent weeks, as scouts prepare for the draft in April, they’ve done more due diligence and learned that the Wolverines’ run-first system didn’t allow McCarthy to put up gaudy numbers — yet, he’s showcased much of what franchises want to see at the next level.
Thus, though many scoffed when former head coach Jim Harbaugh said that McCarthy could be the top quarterback taken in the draft, now he’s not so far behind that mark.
In Daniel Jeremiah’s latest mock draft for NFL.com, McCarthy is still down the list a little, the fourth quarterback off the board behind Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels. But that still warrants him as a top 10 pick in Jeremiah’s estimation.
No. 8 – Atlanta Falcons – J.J. McCarthy
A lot of people around the NFL expect the Falcons to be aggressive when it comes to finding a quarterback in this year’s draft. They could trade up or, as they do in this case, stay at No. 8 and bet on McCarthy’s traits.
Michigan football fans, of course, know just how talented the former five-star is and have seen him make unparalleled throws while rarely turning the ball over. With his accuracy, athleticism, elusiveness, and ability to extend plays, he may have the highest floor of any of the quarterbacks in the field, and could certainly show teams during the impending NFL scouting combine that his ceiling is pretty high, too.