University of Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy is expected to go early on in the NFL Draft this week, so with the Minnesota Vikings picking 11th, they probably won’t be able to grab him.
At least not at the moment.
The Vikings have been rumored to be interested in moving up in the draft, as they also won the 23rd overall pick and can put together a very enticing package for a team like the Los Angeles Chargers, which currently owns the No. 5 selection.
If Minnesota is able to move into the top five, it will likely be able to snag McCarthy, and the Wolverines star would be perfectly fine with that.
“It would be the world,” McCarthy told ESPN’s Adam Schefter when asked about what it would mean to play for the Vikings. “Coach [Kevin] O’Connell, he’s a guy that I’d run through a brick wall for. Everything that he wants to do with a football team, is something I think want to be a part of.”
Not only that, but McCarthy would be throwing to one of the best wide receivers in football in Justin Jefferson, so Minnesota would be a pretty cushy destination for him.
McCarthy is coming off of a 2023 campaign in which he led Michigan to a national championship, throwing for 2,991 yards, 22 touchdowns and four interceptions while completing 72.3 percent of his passes. He also rushed for 202 yards and three scores.
The 21-year-old is one of the most polarizing players in this draft class. While some have heralded his intangibles, others have major concerns about his physical limitations.
McCarthy is the fourth-ranked quarterback on most draft boards behind Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye, and unless the Vikings trade up into the top three, they would probably have to settle for him.
We’ll see if Minnesota is able to trade up for J.J. McCarthy come Thursday.
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