Michigan prove that McCarthy their best Quarterback in the Draft

Michigan prove that McCarthy their best Quarterback in the Draft

Although the NFL draft is famously unpredictable and still a ways off, it is now widely believed that quarterbacks Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels will be selected in the first three spots on April 25. The Vikings will have to choose between J.J. McCarthy, Michael Penix Jr., and Bo Nix, the three second-tier quarterback prospects, if they are unable to move up into that top three.

McCarthy is an intriguing candidate whose background differs slightly from the other two. When their rookie seasons start, Penix and Nix, who are seniors in their fifth or sixth year, will be 24 years old. With potent Pac-12 offenses, they finished first and second in the country in passing yards (by a significant margin) the previous season, and they were both Heisman candidates. McCarthy on the other hand is a   real junior who recently became 21. With less than 3,000 throwing yards in 15 games, he finished 35th in the nation while leading Michigan’s run-heavy attack. McCarthy led his Michigan team to victory over Penix’s Washington Huskies in the national championship game, capping an unbeaten season.

The Vikings were at the Senior Bowl last week, attentively observing Penix and Nix. Of course, they’re also doing a lot of study on McCarthy, who wasn’t even in Mobile. Former Stanford Andrew Luck coach Jim Harbaugh, who now coaches the Chargers, has heaped praise on the former four-star prospect from the Chicago suburbs. McCarthy appears to be considered the QB4 at this point in the selection process, ahead of Penix and Nix. McCarthy was projected to go 12th overall to the Broncos and 13th overall to the Raiders in a handful of recent mock selections by well-known pundits. Naturally, the Vikings hold the eleventh choice.

McCarthy’s lack of passing volume complicates his evaluation a bit, as scouts have a comparatively limited sample size to work with when watching his tape and forming opinions. He averaged just under 200 passing yards per game over the last two seasons, throwing 44 touchdown passes and nine interceptions (three of which strangely came in a September 2023 game against Bowling Green where he only attempted 13 passes). McCarthy shined in the national semifinals against Alabama — he went 17 of 27 for 223 yards, three touchdowns, and no picks in that win — but all he needed to do in the title game was complete ten passes for 140 yards, as Michigan ran for over 300 yards and four scores in their 34-13 victory.

Even on a smaller sample size, McCarthy has shown a lot to like as a passer. He’s a good processor with impressive arm talent and the ability to make plays outside of structure. He ran for 508 yards and eight touchdowns over the past two seasons, and that yardage number would be higher if college rushing stats didn’t include yards lost to sacks. McCarthy earned a 90.8 PFF grade in 2023, including marks above 92 in intermediate and deep passing. He shined out of play-action and completed over 72 percent of his attempts.