The Denver Broncos are now facing a quarterback conundrum. They are still yet to figure out if Zach Wilson will be their guy moving forward and if he can lead the team back to glory. This squad is looking for someone like Peyton Manning. The characteristics involve being a signal caller who has leadership and veteran acumen coursing through their veins. Thankfully, the legendary quarterback himself endorsed a great pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Michigan’s JJ McCarthy.
Peyton Manning was one of the first stars to congratulate Michigan on their win. He even reached out to JJ McCarthy after hoisting the College Football Playoff National Championship trophy. But, the quarterback out of Ann Arbor did not respond because he thought it was a prank text. The legendary Super Bowl-winning quarterback for the Broncos revealed the story in his latest appearance, via 104.3 The Fan’s Stokley and Josh.
“I just reached out and said, ‘Hey, man, congratulations, wish you the best of luck in your next chapter. I guess he thought it was a prank, he never called me back so I texted him Monday from the same number. And he’s like, ‘Oh, it really is you, Yeah, I thought that somebody was pranking me.’ And so I just kind of wished him luck and he asked me some questions. So he called me back and he was impressive to talk to,” Peyton Manning said.
Then, the retired signal caller dropped a big NFL Draft bomb. It might even shake up the franchise’s future if acted on.
“I know Denver is very interested in him and it sounded like a place he’d love to come to but it’s a little bit out of his control,” he declared.
The Broncos hold the 12th pick in the NFL Draft. Some mocks have the Michigan standout going as early as fifth while others think the Brock Bowers should be the prospect to acquire since they already have Zach Wilson.
What will the Broncos get if they draft him?
McCarthy is a good extension of whoever his coach is. His prime skill is being one of the best in executing plays and sets that the squad has constantly practiced. Coach Jim Harbaugh brought the best in him which allowed the Michigan quarterback to have a meteoric rise in the NFL Draft boards. The Broncos can surely use someone of his caliber to lead the charge if this Wilson experiment falls down.
More than being strict in following the coaches’ instructions, he also produced big numbers. In his last year with Michigan, he darted 240 completions on 332 passing attempts. This insane 72.3% completion percentage got him a career-high 2,991 passing yards in his senior season.
His ability to lead a team to the end zone is also impeccable. He notched 22 touchdowns for the Wolverines all while just throwing four interceptions. The cherry on top was that every pass he made notched his team an average gain of nine yards.
Discussions about him being only good at hand-offs are absurd. If he does fall to the Broncos at 12, it would not be a mistake to acquire him at all.
More must-reads: