JJ McCarthy has become something of an enigma in the run-up to next month’s NFL Draft. While it is accepted that the top 3 teams in this year’s draft–the Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders, and New England Patriots–will accept quarterbacks, debate rages on about which order the trio will go in.
Enter JJ McCarthy. Mel Kiper Jr., speaking on ESPN’s First Draft, suggested the Michigan Star could hear his name called sooner than expected and even overtake Maye in the order.
“JJ McCarthy could overtake Drake Maye (in the NFL Draft)”
– Mel Kiperpic.twitter.com/2Cuq55ngP6
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) March 8, 2024
JJ McCarthy Emerged in 2022 and 2023
JJ McCarthy began his career at Michigan behind Cade McNamara in 2021. In eleven outings, McCarthy threw for five touchdowns against two interceptions while the Wolverines were en route to the College Football Playoff. Michigan would lose that game to the Georgia Bulldogs, but better things were to come for McCarthy.
Initially in 2022, McCarthy found himself behind McNamara once again. It would not take long for McNamara to lose his job to McCarthy. Once he assumed full control of Michigan’s starting job, the Illinois-born player would emerge as once of college football’s best at the position.
In 2022, McCarthy would lead Michigan back to the College Football Playoff, throwing for 22 touchdown passes against five interceptions, and would add over 300 yards on the ground. Michigan returned to the playoff, only to lose again. 2023 saw McCarthy stay level with his 2022 stats for the most part, but McCarthy and coach Jim Harbaugh will be remembered most for their run to Michigan’s first National Championship since 1997.
McCarthy joins a deep quarterback class in the 2024 draft.
What did Mel Kiper Really Say About JJ McCarthy?
It is undeniable that JJ McCarthy has become an enigma, a player that is hard to rate against his fellow signal-callers. Kiper would state the following on First Draft:
Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy is a battle,” Kiper said on ESPN’s “First Draft.” “I’m talking this morning to people before the show and all I hear is J.J. McCarthy.”
He would then go on to note this, offering further praises:
“J.J. McCarthy is so smart, so tough, athletic,” Kiper continued. “He almost because of what he was protected in doing — because they didn’t let him carry the offense — has benefited from that because it adds some mystery to it. He’s kind of [an] old school quarterback, didn’t have to throw it 40-50 times.”
He would further note how McCarthy could “absolutely” overtake Drake Maye and slip into the top 3 quarterbacks–and the top 3 selections–in next month’s draft.
Does This Comparison Make Sense?
Drake Maye did not throw at the combine. McCarthy did. To make sense of how Maye’s stock is continuing to fall and how McCarthy’s only is further on the rise has baffled plenty of fans and onlookers alike.
In his own college career, Maye turned in a fantastic 2022 season for the Tar Heels, throwing for nearly 40 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. 2023 saw him take a step back, throwing for only 24 touchdowns against two more interceptions than he had thrown in 2022. Drake Maye’s red flags are almost one in the same with JJ McCarthy’s, yet McCarthy’s rise only seems to continue nearly unabated.
Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels should soon be all but locked in as two of the first three quarterbacks taken, but what happens behind them remains a mystery.
Here’s my Top 6 QBs in this year’s Draft. These rankings are based on film.
Full pod coming soon pic.twitter.com/RvCdgBhBg4— Chris Simms (@CSimmsQB) March 6, 2024