Analyst slots McCarthy over Darnold, Kyler, Tua in new NFL QB ranking

Where should J.J. McCarthy be ranked among NFL starting quarterbacks before playing in his first regular season game? There isn't necessarily a right or wrong answer. If you wanted to play it safe and put him near the bottom of the 32, that would be understandable. But there's also a case that can be made for McCarthy being closer to the middle of the pack.

CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin recently came out with his own 1-32 ranking. He's got McCarthy up at No. 20, which puts him in front of several recent Pro Bowlers, including Seattle's Sam Darnold, the QB he's replacing in Minnesota. McCarthy is also in front of Tua Tagovailoa and Kyler Murray, among others. Just in front of him are guys like Drake Maye, Trevor Lawrence, Caleb Williams, and Bo Nix.

"A 22-year-old first-time starter with zero NFL snaps, coming off multiple knee surgeries? McCarthy's obviously a major projection," Benjamin wrote. "But man is he set up to excel in Minnesota, boasting an upgraded line, elite pass targets and a beloved head coach in Kevin O'Connell. A playoff push might be the expectation."

There's certainly a lot of projection and assumption involved in the case for McCarthy belonging roughly where Benjamin has him ranked. But it also doesn't feel unreasonable. He was the tenth overall pick last year and was impressing his coaching staff last offseason until a torn meniscus ended his rookie year before it could begin. Compared to a traditional rookie like Tennessee's Cam Ward (ranked 25th here), McCarthy has had a full year to get comfortable in the NFL and get a head start on the mental side of the game.

Plus, as we know, situation has a significant impact on success for quarterbacks. McCarthy is playing for a head coach in O'Connell who has gotten the best out of Darnold, Kirk Cousins, and even (briefly) Josh Dobbs during his Vikings tenure. He'll be throwing to guys like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson. The offensive line in front of him, which features three new starters on the interior, looks like one of the league's best. The running game should be improved with the addition of Jordan Mason. Brian Flores' defense projects as an elite unit once again. It's hard to think of a better possible situation for a young QB stepping into a starting role.

Benjamin's quarterback rankings are pretty spicy, especially at the top. He's got Jayden Daniels and Jalen Hurts in the top two spots, with Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes at five and six, respectively. Elsewhere in the NFC North, he has Jordan Love at eight, Jared Goff at nine, and Williams at 16.

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