Mike Tannenbaum suggests New York Giants draft JJ McCarthy with No. 6 overall pick

Former general manager Mike Tannenbaum suggested the New York Giants draft JJ McCarthy with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The former Michigan quarterback, who’s steadily rising up mock drafts into the first half of the first round, would be at his highest projection should he go to the Giants. Sure, there have been predictions of going to the Denver Broncos at No. 12, but not this high.

At least until now and tannenbaum thinks McCarthy is the logical replacement to Daniel Jones.

“If I’m the New York Giants, I am drafting JJ McCarthy with the sixth pick,” Tannenbaum said Sunday morning on SportsCenter. “He’s a better quarterback today than Daniel Jones and has a much higher ceiling. He was outstanding yesterday. He showed up and competed, the other top three quarterbacks didn’t and he threw the ball accurately with good velocity. 

“Good anticipation, had excellent footwork. And when you combine that with the fact that he lost one game in college as a starter, had 49 touchdown passes and would’ve had a lot more if they asked him to do more. He checked every box and he’s firmly in play in my opinion with the sixth pick.”

The current odds for McCarthy list the Giants at +1,600 to draft McCarthy. The favorites are the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos at +450, who have the 11th and 12th picks, respectively.

The Giants have an interesting QB situation with Jones should they draft McCarthy. Jones’ contract extension is through the 2026 season and worth, in total, $160 million. However, the Giants have a potential out after the 2024 season.

Can they bide their time with McCarthy and get him ready for the 2025 campaign?

He has one year left to guarantee money. So if I’m the Giants, I could keep both of them for a year,” Tannenbaum said. “And then let Daniel Jones go after the 2024 season. So they have a lot of flexibility after the season with that contract.”

McCarthy could not remember all 11 teams off the top of his head taht he met with at the combine, so Daniel Jeremiah, the NFL Network’s main draft analyst, handed him a list.

“Started off with Washington, then it went to New Orleans, then Denver and then Atlanta,” McCarthy said as he ticked off the teams. “And then the next day was Minnesota, New England, Vegas, Tampa Bay.”

Host Rich Eisen asked if his hometown Bears sat down with McCarthy. That was a yes.

“There’s a couple more, totally blanking,” McCarthy told Eisen and Jeremiah. The Michigan QB remembered the New York Giants, but added that the Jets did not ask for a formal sit down, although he has had conversations.

“Yes sir. I believe that’s it,” McCarthy said. “Yeah, Tampa Bay, Chicago, Washington. New England, New York, Atlanta, Minnesota, Denver, Las Vegas, New Orleans and Seattle.”