Why JJ McCarthy opted to leave for NFL despite not having 'Superman' production

JJ McCarthy might not have put up eye-popping numbers at Michigan, but the quarterback has what it takes to succeed in the NFL. That’s why he opted to forgo his senior season with the Wolverines to enter the 2024 draft.

McCarthy led Michigan to a 15-0 season that ended with the program’s first national championship since 1997. He proved himself an effective leader despite the fact that the offense didn’t necessarily always feature him. The Wolverines preferred to lean more on their ground game, which was among the best in the country.

McCarthy still put up solid numbers and was extremely efficient, completing 72.4% of his passes with a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 11:2. He also proved himself a threat on the ground with 632 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns across his three-year college career.

McCarthy still ranks behind big names such as Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels according to most experts. However, as On3‘s Andy Staples explained Sunday, there’s something about the quarterback that is catching the eye of NFL teams.

“This is an interesting decision because he has a skillset that excites NFL people,” Staples said. “You’ve seen throws that he’s made where you’re like, ‘yup, I get it.’ But he did not put up the kind of numbers that just light the world on fire in college. A lot of that was because of the offense they ran at Michigan. They were so good at running the ball they did not have to throw it a ton.

“McCarthy didn’t have to be Superman. There were times in his career where he was, though. The 2022 Ohio State game would be a good example. JJ McCarthy kept them in that game for a half until they could get the running game going, and then they took over in the second half.”

Even in the national championship, McCarthy’s stats didn’t exactly jump off the sheet. He finished 10-of-18 passing for 140 yards and no touchdowns. But he stepped up to make a few big throws that impressed Staples.

He’s proven about all he can in college with the championship run this past season, and McCarthy felt it was time to move on to the pros. He still has a lot to prove in the combine to improve his position, and he likely won’t be one of the first QBs off the board.

Still, JJ McCarthy has proven he can lead a championship team and brings that winning pedigree with him to the NFL.

“You look at some of the throws he made in the national championship game and you’re like, ‘OK. I get every single thing these NFL guys are saying. This make perfect sense,'” Staples said. “But the down-to-down consistency wasn’t quite there. But JJ McCarthy clearly thinks he is ready and also, it’s pretty hard to top what you just did. 15-0, national title.

“Lot of really good players headed to the NFL. One of those is JJ McCarthy. “