The quarterbacks could go six deep in the first round of the NFL Draft. And one of the fastest risers is former Michigan star J.J. McCarthy.
After all, the NFL loves its winners. McCarthy is intriguing because he led the a sparkling perfect record along with Big Ten title and the national championship over Washington.
McCarthy could be the fourth quarterback off the NFL Draft board, but still go among the first 10 selections. Brady Quinn, the former Notre Dame star and a first rounder in 2007, is predicting an elite spot for McCarthy.
“To me, he’s going to end up being a top 10 pick when it’s all said and done,” Quinn said on CBS HQ earlier this week. “I think teams are going to love his ability to create and his ability to take off and run, too.”
The Wolverines, under then coach Jim Harbaugh, relied on a power running game to dominate opponents. Michigan did not lean so much on McCarthy and his arm to create plays. It’s one reason why McCarthy ranked only seventh best among Big Ten passers. Meanwhile, Blake Corum rushed for 27 touchdowns, 1,245 yards at nearly 5 yards a carry.
But Quinn said McCarthy’s skill set is there.
“This is a team that’s really run the football incredibly well,” Quinn said in regards to the offense McCarthy ran at Michigan. He “hasn’t had to necessarily dominate games. I’ll still go back to when he’s had to do it, he’s showcased the ability to. … He’s able to layer the ball which is another thing you always hear talked about this time of year. The ability to get it over one defender, but in front of the next or inside a tight window. He showcases all of that.
“We just didn’t see it as much as we saw with a lot of other quarterbacks who threw the football more.”
Other NFL Draft experts see McCarthy going anywhere from eighth to the Falcons or maybe 11th to the Vikings, 12th to the Broncos or even 13th to the Raiders. And keep in mind, he ranks as the fourth best quarterback in this loaded class. All those teams likely are flipping their starting quarterbacks. Three quarterbacks could go 1-2-3. They are Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels.
After McCarthy, the next three QBs who are first round candidates are Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. But all this draft chatter is just that. The scouting process is just starting. Everything may reset again next week when the top draft prospects gather in Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine.
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