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via 247Sports, the only site to have scouting on a current high school sophomore

J.J. McCarthy Has Committed to Michigan Comment Count

Seth May 11th, 2019 at 6:46 PM

Rejoice ladies and lads, this is a pretty big one:

Michigan has secured the commitment of their top 2021 QB target, Nazareth Academy (Western Chicago)'s J.J. McCarthy. Message board people may recall Stephen R Kass passed along a Chicago Tribune article this week about the early five-star quarterback. McCarthy sounds like a guy who subscribes to the Church of Baugh:

“You never know what you will get out of him,” he says. “He doesn’t let the quarterbacks eat chicken because they are weak birds. I thought that was funny because I’m not a big fan of chicken. I like steak.”

And also like a guy from the mold they're using in Oklahoma lately:

McCarthy is an ideal spread quarterback.  “He could run any offense,” Racki says. “He could run the wishbone, honestly. He is that good of an athlete, that good speed-wise. He’s fast, athletic enough and tough enough because he’s a hockey player. Has a rocket arm and he can move.”

McCarthy is currently the #19 prospect and #2 pro-style QB in 247Sports extremely early 2021 ranking. Orion Sang noted that if McCarthy stays that high he'd be the top QB from the Midwest since...Drew Henson? Searchable data only go back to 2000 so probably Drew Henson.

Early scouting returns show a Henson-ish prospect who's too fast to risk edge rushing, and possessing the arm to chuck a 40-yard out on the run or cross-hash while getting lit up. There's also a young Gardner-ish tendency to start running around at the smallest provocation.

McCarthy will spend the next couple of years helping to build his class, and will probably be invited to all the right Elite 11s and campwhatnots. We'll have a more informative hello post sometime after that information, and McCarthy himself, have had a little more time to fill out.

Comments

StephenRKass

May 11th, 2019 at 7:23 PM ^

This is a very good thing. I honestly am more upbeat about Michigan football than I've been in years. The defense has been solid, and will continue to get better. We finally have a real offensive line. And the QB's now and going forward are solid. If we can add a couple solid receivers each of the next few years, along with a real running back or two, this team will finally return to the way things should be. Keep up the good work, Harbaugh and crew.

Joined: 07/15/2008

MGoPoints: 23001

Alumnus93

May 11th, 2019 at 9:21 PM ^

you can see the pieces.... guys like McCaffrey...

but it won't truly return, until we have an imposing OL again, and most critically at OT...  we aren't there yet... if this gets accomplished, only then will the program return to where it used to be... Lloyd retirement -2 years.  

For a decade I've watched us whiff over and over on the elite OT... and its maddening. And right now we have Runyan, who should be playing guard... and an unknown at RT.  When you see this shored up, with a star LT and a decent RT, then I will feel the program has returned.. those positions are THAT important.

Joined: 09/10/2009

MGoPoints: 9684

StephenRKass

May 11th, 2019 at 10:13 PM ^

I completely and totally agree. However, I give Warinner a lot of credit, and believe he has improved coaching and recruiting. I love that we brought in a ton of OL guys last class, and they weren't all reaches. I love that the interior of the line are the best returning guards in pass pro according to PFF (and our center is solid.) You are correct that we need to literally SEE the tackles prove themselves. But I finally have hope in the depth and the coaching and the recruiting on the OL, and that right there is why I think things are finally improving.

Joined: 07/15/2008

MGoPoints: 23001

JPC

May 11th, 2019 at 11:15 PM ^

The OL improved dramatically over last season. You could actually see them get better from game to game. I can't remember the last time that was true at Michigan. 

If they start out about as good as they ended last year, they should be really good by the OSU game. 

Joined: 10/13/2018

MGoPoints: 12224

Chaz_Smash

May 11th, 2019 at 7:35 PM ^

Saw him play last season. He is very Shea-like, moves well and throws on the run well, not especially tall. One thing about him is he played on a dominant high school team last year. Any QB would have looked good with that group (not to say he's overrated, his highlights were pretty special). But he probably wanted to commit now before the less-talented version takes the field next season.

Joined: 01/08/2011

MGoPoints: 1973

Seth

May 11th, 2019 at 7:56 PM ^

I made a couple of edits. Disappointed in the militant grammarians who forgot to point out I originally had not one but two dangling modifiers.

Joined: 10/14/2008

MGoPoints: 149241

Mongo

May 11th, 2019 at 8:09 PM ^

This is good - right ?

Best hope this Gattis offense is a long term keeper.  

Edit:  holy shit this kid is tiny.  Does he even weigh 170lbs?  This is a total flier.  Shea is a solid 205lbs even out of high school.  

Joined: 06/25/2016

MGoPoints: 9585

pescadero

May 13th, 2019 at 1:37 PM ^

14-16 years old I lifted 3-4 days a week. Maxed out benching about 200lbs. Never budged over 165.

19-20 years old I lifted 2-3 days a week. Maxed out benching about 260lbs. Never budged over 165.

 

When I work out regularly - I'll float around 165. When I don't work out, I'll drop down to about 160.

Joined: 03/28/2013

MGoPoints: 12081

FLwolvfan22

May 11th, 2019 at 11:00 PM ^

Seriously, trust me, Irish are ALWAYS late bloomers. I wasn't even shaving daily until I was about 23, grew up to 6'3" junior and senior year of HS. Guys were shaving and losing their hair to pattern baldness in middle school and I was an amoeba. Google Tom Brady's HS freshman picture, another irish amoeba.

Joined: 03/03/2012

MGoPoints: 6707

Sten Carlson

May 12th, 2019 at 12:42 PM ^

Mongo,

You just posted the single most idiotic comment in MGoBlog history -- and that is saying a lot!

When you say, "Irish" what exactly do you mean?  Because (aside from some very isolated areas) there aren't really any populations that are exclusively of one ethnicity/genetic make up, and especially NOT when one's ancestry made it to the United States.  Just because his name is McCarthy (which is actually Scottish not Irish) has very little to do with his actual ancestry.  As you should know (if only from seeing the 23-and-Me ads on TV) because of the patriarchal manner in which last names are passed down, often times peoples names hide their true ethnic makeup as the maternal name is lost. 

For example, as a Carlson one would assume I am Swedish.  Which, I am.  But, of the four contributing grandparents, only my paternal grandfather is Swedish.  The other three are a combination (like many Americans) of Irish, English, Scottish and German.  To take it even further, have you heard of the Norman Conquest?  What about the Viking raids?  So those "English" ancestors were, more than likely, also Scandinavian as well, mixed with some original Britain.  But the Romans also occupied Britain, so that muddies the waters even more.  How many people when they got to the New World fornicated (consensual or not) with the Native American people they encountered?  What about with African slaves?  What about adoption?

This is why "RACE" as an issue is so blitteringly stupid -- from ALL sides.  It's a NON-issue!  People everywhere breed with everyone they encounter, and they always have.  Surnames, in many cases, are all we have to go by but they tell us very very little, and least of all how someone is going to develop physically.

Joined: 11/16/2009

MGoPoints: -56

Sten Carlson

May 12th, 2019 at 10:04 PM ^

In two years you’ll still be an idiot claiming to have “heritage expertise” but without even an inkling of understanding of what that actually means.  It sure sounds intelligent though ... so you got that going for you, which is nice.  

Joined: 11/16/2009

MGoPoints: -56