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Matt Miller 'cannot see a world' where J.J. McCarthy falls past Denver Broncos at No. 12

Brian Jones Profile Picby:Brian Jones•04/03/24•

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Michigan Spring Football Game
ANN ARBOR, MI - APRIL 01: JJ McCarthy #9 of the Maize Team warms up prior to the Michigan Football spring game at Michigan Stadium on April 1, 2023 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Jaime Crawford/Getty Images)

Matt Miller believes that J.J. McCarthy will get his name called early during the 2024 NFL Draft later this month. The ESPN Draft analyst and insider Matt Miller talked about the former Michigan Wolverines quarterback on the College GameDay Podcast and said that his draft floor will be the Denver Broncos at No. 12.

“They are rolling right now with Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci. No disrespect to either guy, but they had not made an addition,” Miller said about the Broncos’ quarterback room.

Miller also said the Broncos didn’t acquire a veteran QB during free agency such as Justin Fields, Sam Howell and Kenny Pickett. “I look at Denver and say maybe J.J. McCarthy doesn’t go top five,” Miller said. “Maybe the new York Giants even say we added Drew Lock, the last time Daniel Jones is healthy we made the playoffs. …I cannot see a world in which J.J. McCarthy gets past the Denver Broncos at 12 just by virtue of what they haven’t done in this offseason.

“I think 12 is a floor for J.J. and the ceiling might be two,” Miller continued. I can’t see a scenario where he doesn’t get past 12, especially with Sean Payton is going to coach you very hard.”

Could J.J. McCarthy be selected in the top four?

What Miller had to say on the College GameDay Podcast is consistent with his latest mock draft. He has McCarthy going to the Broncos, but Miller predicts the team will trade up to No. 4 to select the national championship quarterback.

In his mock draft, Miller said that Mcarthy is “tough, instinctive and accurate quarterback with above-average mobility and great play from the pocket. I’m not saying he’s Drew Brees, but the style of play would fit very well with what Payton ran in New Orleans.”

Miller isn’t the only ESPN personality to think high of McCarthy. Mel Kiper Jr. has McCarthy ranked No.14 on his top 25 draft prospects list and explaied why he placed him among the 15 best players in the 2024 draft class.

“The rationale here is closing that gap between Drake Maye and JJ McCarthy. That was my goal in terms of that ranking,” Kiper said. “I didn’t feel comfortable with a huge gap between JJ and Drake. …We know he’s probably going to go probably in the top six overall. So when you look at the gap between Drake Maye and JJ McCarthy, I wanted to close it a little bit. That’s why he’s at 14.