After a stellar junior season at the University of Michigan, quarterback JJ McCarthy recently made it official that he was declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft. While most project him as a top-five quarterback in this year’s class, his numbers don’t necessarily jump off of the page when compared to his counterparts – and that’s mostly due to the type of offense he was a part of during his time in Ann Arbor.
To fully appreciate McCarthy’s ability, you’d need to look at the film and get to know the man who wears No. 9 on Saturdays. From a talent standpoint, McCarthy has everything you want in a quarterback. He’s got an incredible arm, he’s accurate, he’s mobile, and his athleticism allows him to make plays that the vast majority of quarterbacks (at any level) wouldn’t even attempt.
In addition to what he provides as an athlete, McCarthy’s maturity and leadership qualities are off the charts. He’s someone who makes the people around him better, and his mental toughness is second to none.
For those reasons and more, McCarthy is being viewed as a likely first round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft – which would make him the first U-M QB to go in the first round since Jim Harbaugh went in first round to the Chicago Bears in the 1987 Draft.
Here are some of the latest projections for McCarthy in the upcoming Draft:
- Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN: No. 5 quarterback, selected outside of top 25 picks
- Dane Brugler, The Athletic: No. 19 overall to the Los Angeles Rams
- Jordan Reid, ESPN: No. 12 overall to the Denver Broncos
- Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: No. 8 overall to the Atlanta Falcons
- Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA Today: No. 13 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders
The 2024 NFL Draft is set to take place on April 25-27 in Downtown Detroit at the Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza.
