The general expectation has been that the Washington Commanders will select either LSU’s Jayden Daniels or North Carolina’s Drake Maye with the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Daniels is considered the favorite.
But could the Commanders shock everyone and roll with University of Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy?
Fox Sports analyst Craig Carton thinks it’s a possibility.
During a recent episode of The Carton Show, Carton said many coaches have fallen in love with McCarthy and that he would not be surprised if McCarthy ended up going No. 2 to Washington.
This would be a shock to most.
While there had been some speculation that the New England Patriots could select McCarthy at No. 3, even that was considered too high of a position for McCarthy.
The consensus has long been that McCarthy is the fourth-best quarterback in this draft class behind Caleb Williams, Daniels and Maye, so if he somehow jumps all the way up to the second overall pick, it would definitely be one of the biggest surprises of the draft.
McCarthy is coming off of a 2023 campaign in which he led the Wolverines 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.
Many have praised the 21-year-old for his intangibles, but others have expressed concern over his physical limitations heading into the NFL.
More than likely, the Commanders are going to end up selecting Daniels at No. 2. They seem to like him a whole lot. But if what Carton says is true, there may be some momentum building for McCarthy.
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