Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy is one of the most difficult draft prospects to evaluate. In two years of starting, he has only lost one game with the Wolverines. He led the team to a national championship as well. However, McCarthy was buoyed by a strong defense and devastating running game, leading many to question whether he could make it in the NFL. Scouts are apparently very high on him, with one of them comparing him to Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.
JJ McCarthy Compared To Joe Burrow
ESPN’s Matt Miller spoke on the Matt Barrie Show about what he is hearing from NFL scouts. One scout “said J.J. McCarthy would be Joe Burrow if he were on a team that threw the ball.” Apparently, many scouts are very high on McCarthy.
“There’s a lot of love for J.J. McCarthy among the scouting community. He’s tough as hell. He’s got a big arm. He’s a very good athlete and he’s coachable.”
Miller reported a few weeks earlier that an NFL executive loved him “because of his mobility, toughness, winning mentality, and ability to hit every throw.” It seems like McCarthy may go higher than people think.
Tough Decision
Michigan built large leads often during McCarrthy’s tenure. They didn’t need him to pass when Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards dominated behind an elite offensive line. This is not to say McCarthy didn’t have some good throws, but they were few and far between. In the national championship game, he only completed 10 passes as Michigan controlled the game throughout. Still, it would not shock me if a team drafts him in order to sit him for a few years.
Where will JJ McCarthy be drafted? His NFL Combine scores will likely give us more insight into what teams are thinking about the Michigan quarterback.
Ncaa Fiesta Bowl Game
