ESPN 2024 Mock Draft: JJ at #20
ESPN put out an early 2024 mock draft that included JJ McCarthy at #20 to the Vikings. Yes it's very early and Todd McShay doesn't know dick about anything but it's the first I've seen him mentioned as a first rounder next year. The blurb below:
"I thought about Washington's Michael Penix Jr. here, too, but I ultimately went with McCarthy, who threw for 22 TDs and five interceptions last season in Michigan. There are a handful of passers who could rise into Round 1 -- Penix, Oregon's Bo Nix and Texas' Quinn Ewers, to name a few -- but McCarthy is intriguing because of his 6-foot-3 frame, running ability, accuracy and arm talent. In Minnesota, Kirk Cousins is entering the final year of his deal, and the team could move on. Despite winning 13 games last season, the Vikings were outside the top 20 in Total QBR (49.9). McCarthy could be the future for a team like Minnesota if he takes the next step in 2023."
I've seen him mocked to the Lions around there as well.
Ultimately, he is probably going to have a Drake Maye type of decision.
And both make complete sense. Go be a mid-first rounder with a shot to move up.
Or...come back and try to finish your legacy as the best in school history.
It's too early to worry about that now, but these are the decisions you hope guys have the opportunity to make for themselves (even if half the fanbase will take it personally and talk about what he could've been to the program after a senior season).
FWIW, Donovan Edwards will likely be in similar position. Right now he's mocked in the 2nd round on a lot of boards. Come back, cement your legacy, work to shoot up into the first round...or keep the mileage off, the injury risk down, and start your pro career. As a RB, that's a tough decision.
But again, it's about 8 months too soon for these talks. If nothing else, we should celebrate having multiple 1st round skill position players. It's been awhile.
Yep I don't understand anyone that takes these decisions personally as a fan. First, they're not yours to make. Second, if a player is in the position to go out early for the draft that usually means they've had a very successful college career. Either way these guys owe us absolutely nothing.
usually. the real bummer for the college fan is when a guy gets drafted on potential, and not college production, so you never get to see them fully weaponized.
i'm sure there are better examples, but the first one i could think of is dj wilson. maybe dpj too?
I don't blame DPJ. Whether we like it or not, the offense was not weaponizing him. We can debate all we want whether it's the scheme or the player, but I don't fault him at all.
i don't fault him for it either, but it's still a bummer as a fan that we mostly only got to see tantalizing potential
We knew DPJ and even Nico were very good. They unfortunately played in a system with some QBs that didnt have the tools to get them the ball. Could you imagine if they were playing with JJ?
DPJ's senior season would have been 2020. Considering the disaster that was the 2020 covid season, he probably made the right choice.
Ambry Thomas is a guy that jumps to mind for me there. If he plays in 2020 I think a lot of secondary issues in that season wouldn't have been there... at the very least we beat State that year.
Maye hasn't had to make any decision quite yet - he's also entering his 3rd year. Maye's been slotted as the #2 QB on most early big boards. If that stays the decision seems pretty simple unless he just wants to finish his degree.
Pretty sure, Edwards made it pretty clear this off season that he intends to leave after this year
Yep, he's gone after this year. This is the year to beat OSU, threepeat the B10, and win the national title. 2024 will be some form of rebuilding because we'll see a lot of talent move on after this season.
we don't rebuild.... we reload...
My goodness it's been so long since I thought this and truly believed it about a Michigan football team.
The good thing about 2024 is they will have room for error with a young team with the 12 team playoff starting.
Gibbs to the Lions made sense because I had Edwards in mind. If he can stay healthy, I think he'll likely be a first rounder.
I hope we get another year out of JJ but if I was creating a QB from scratch he would be pretty close to how I would imagine him from a physical stand point. He has the size, arm, legs, and will have quite a few starts under his belt after next season. I have no doubt he will have some NFL general managers attention by next April.
"I hope we get another year out of JJ"
Yep.
I think JJ can be a 1st round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft season but I think he has the physical talent and mental make-up to be the #1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
It's hard to know as he really hasn't had to process an NFL passing scheme yet. He may very well have the cognitive skills. But, being an NFL QB is about accuracy and processing, which is why so many great physical specimens, great arms, are busts, and why the Drew Brees, GOATs, Joe Montanas, Aaron Rogers, Patrick Mahomes of the world are the generational QBs. They process the field unlike QBs with stronger physical skills. Look no further than Joe Burrow. But his ability was clear in college in the offense he ran. What I know is that JJ is the perfect QB for UM's current offense. But what he would look like in 2019 LSU remains a mystery.
I was just saying this recently. If you could design an ideal QB, you'd design JJ. If you could design an ideal RB, you'd design Edwards. I think Corum is a better runner, but from a physical traits perspective, they're both about as good as I can remember at Michigan.
The Athletic has JJ to the Raiders at #15 and Kris Jenkins going to the Ravens at #22.
https://theathletic.com/4477888/2023/05/02/nfl-mock-draft-2024-caleb-williams/
Here's what Dane Brugler wrote:
McCarthy:
The fourth quarterback drafted in this mock, and you don’t need to squint to see the talent with McCarthy. He is a loose athlete for his size with NFL-level arm strength and the poise to make plays.
QB's Brugler has drafted ahead of McCarthy: Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Quinn Ewers
Jenkins:
I gave Jenkins a second-round grade based on his 2022 tape. If he takes the next step in his development in 2023, the first round could be in range. He is quick off the ball to make plays versus the run and as a pass rusher.
Of course mock drafts are meaningless, especially this early, but at least it gives us something to discuss during the offseason.
Can anyone tell me why Quinn Ewers is getting mocked so high in all of these drafts other than leftover hype from being an all-world recruit?
From what I could tell, outside of a few bright moments of NFL upside last year, he was mostly booty cheeks and Bijan carried the team.
Is this mostly projection based on him potentially putting it together next year?
Anthony Richardson was just drafted fourth overall. NFL scouts aren't really interested in college stats.
Which means Joe Milton still may have a future in the NFL
If JJ is being mocked already at 15, he will rise to the top of the draft, as that has been the tendency in almost every draft these days. 3 qbs went in the top 4.... and it wasn't a good qb year.
mock drafts are meaningless, even late.
Dane Brugler had McCarthy going at #15 in his way-too-early draft.
That's............ not gonna happen.
I would personally be shocked if JJ is not in the top 10.
I think putting him at 15 is basically a guess that he'll either rocket into the top of the first or will return to school.
Brace yourself man, coz that shock is coming!
He won't go 20. Teams will trade up to get him and a lot higher than 20. So Stroud goes 2 overall and JJ would go 20 ? No chance. Figure top 5.
He's a Top 5 pick in many Michigan fans hearts.
But NO WAY he is going that high.
And you can bookmark this comment for later reference.
Let's play this out....
JJ will likely break the Michigan passing touchdown record(in the year that we hit 1,000 wins no less!), exceeding 25 passing touchdowns. I'm guessing Harbaugh will want 30+ to happen.
Guessing he'll maintain lower single digit interceptions as well. He'll of course run a few in.
Depending on how well we do on the field....JJ's stat line could look like this:
301/415 for 3,676 yards. 67% completion %, 31 tds, 6 ints, 6 rushing tds.
That would be some great progress and with JJ's mobility, I think NFL teams would be all over him!
I see this as a completely attainable statline for JJ, especially over a 15 game, natty winning season.
The mere fact, he's going to year two as a starter, with a spring under his belt, having been able to build that rapport with the guys he knows he's going throw to on Saturdays makes throwing 245 and 2 TD's a game a more than reasonable bar to reach.
> I see this as a completely attainable statline for JJ, especially over a 15 game, natty winning season.
These are the type of totally reasonable takes I read this message board for.
> I see this as a completely attainable statline for JJ, especially over a 15 game, natty winning season.
These are the type of totally reasonable takes I read this message board for.
With Corum/Edwards back, do we really see JJ getting 100 more passing attempts than last year?
It is a good question, and maybe that is optimistic.
But Cade is gone, who had 25 attempts and JJ wasn't even the bonified starter to start the season. I'm weighing it a bit more on Harbaugh wanting to beat the passing td record and make a statement that we aren't just a running team. Totally assuming this is a motivator for him, but it makes a lot of sense.
People seem to forget this part of the offseason every year Jim Harbaugh is the coach and 8 of these games the talent is so superior we are just gonna jam the ball down their throat on the ground.
Strangle the ferrets
301/415 for 3,676 yards. 67% completion %, 31 tds, 6 ints, 6 rushing tds.
Is that the meth talking?
File this under "good problems".
I would believe JJ will move up a few spots when he wins the Heisman and leads the Wolverines to a Natty this coming season.
You must of watched a different JJ than I did vs TCU and in the Spring Game.
Or maybe your a bit delirious?
yes, let's use the spring game as a data point for j.j. freaking mccarthy.
also, buy you some grammarly.
You mean "grammerly"
Get a brian moran
i'm assuming this is a misfired attempt at a "kelsey grammerly" joke.
Aren't draft selections determined by the teams who make the selection? So is McShay first predicting next season's NFL finish first, then making his mock draft? Otherwise, it could be the Eagles or Packers or someone with an established QB picking at #20.
Just deleted stupid comment.
Yes, I can be self-evaluative.
If his game improves as we expect, there really shouldn't be a reason he's not in that conversation. He already deserves to be in that conversation more than Will Levis ever did