JJ McCarthy recaps his 2024 NFL Combine performance, NFL teams he's met with

Want to know how many teams ex Michigan star JJ McCarthy met with at the NFL Combine? Easy. How many teams are looking for QBs in the first round?

We can digest all the mock first rounds we want. It is all conjecture. This isn’t. McCarthy said he met with 11 teams during his stay in Indianapolis. After he did his NFL Combine workout, he sat down for an interview with NFL Network hosts Rich Eisen and Daniel Jeremiah.

McCarthy could not remember all 11 off the top of his head. So 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.”

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.”

After McCarthy finished the interview, Jeremiah marveled at the list of NFL teams from the combine-meet-and-greet.

“It was extensive,” Jeremiah said. “One team that jumped out to me was the New England Patriots. … There are a lot of options in there for him. … The Falcons, Vikings, Broncos, one of those three to me, that his neighborhood. Maybe he is moving in to a nicer neighborhood, going to New England at three.”

While Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels declined to work out at the NFL Combine, McCarthy did. So did Bo Nix and Michael Penix, the other two quarterbacks who could make it into the first round.

The Bears are eyeing Williams at No. 1, while the Commanders likely will take a quarterback at No. 2. Then comes the Patriots. The Giants could be looking for a better option than oft-injured Daniel Jones at pick 6. The Falcons, with the eighth pick, are in the QB market, either through free agency or the draft. Then Vikings may or may not re-sign Kirk Cousins. They could go QB at No. 11. Same for the Broncos at No. 12. They probably are moving on from Russell Wilson. Coming in at No. 13, the Raiders also are thinking QB.

Meanwhile, the Saints need a young star, so they could be looking at pick 14. The Seahawks have Geno Smith, but he will be 34 in October. Maybe it is time for another QB at No. 16.

McCarthy talked about what he had worked on, specifically, for the combine.

“The thing I’ve been focusing on, it’s been some touch on the ball and giving you more catchable ball,” McCarthy said. “But like I did that today a little bit.”

You can check McCarthy’s other NFL Combine numbers and analysis here.