NFL draft futures: J.J. McCarthy's draft odds are skyrocketing

In light of his college head coach Jim Harbaugh's recent comments, Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy's odds to be taken second in the upcoming NFL draft are flying up the board.

Just two days ago, McCarthy was +2500 to be taken second overall. Now, he's sitting at +250.

The praise followed McCarthy's Pro Day, and the quarterback who helped lead Michigan to a national title has officially entered the conversation at the top of the draft board alongside fellow passers Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye (with Caleb Williams all but certain to be a Chicago Bear).

Is this a bet to jump on?

That's the question, isn't it? McCarthy's movement up the board goes to show just how volatile this market truly is, going from +2500 to +275 in just 24 hours. Jayden Daniels remains the favorite to go No. 2 at -125, and Drake Maye is currently sitting at +150.

We've watched Daniels and Maye flip-flop for the favorite in this slot, which is currently owned by the Washington Commanders, who most definitely need a QB.

We can't help but feel like this is a bit of a smoke screen. Of course Jim Harbaugh is going to talk up his former quarterback. And it also should not be discounted that the Chargers own the fifth overall pick in the draft.

Why might that matter? If more and more QBs get taken at the top of the draft, the best non-QBs, which this year is dominated by WRs, would start sliding into Los Angeles' lap.

Moreover, if teams start to buy the Harbaugh hype around McCarthy, a QB-needy team like the Vikings might want to move up in the draft, potentially with the Chargers, who could net an extra first round pick in the process.

It's hard for us to buy into this one. McCarthy has solid size at 6-foot-3, but he wasn't often asked to take over games in college. That makes it hard to imagine a team taking an early swing on him compared to someone like the 2023 Heisman winner Daniels, who demonstrated elite dual-threat ability at LSU this past fall.

Official diagnosis: Smoke screen, do not bet on McCarthy to go No. 2

Food for thought: rumors like this can blow up the market in a hurry. We remember vividly last year when Will Levis rumors started to gain serious traction for him to go inside the top-three, just for him to fall out of the first round altogether.

The NFL draft begins on April 25.