Mel Kiper Jr. calls J.J. McCarthy the No. 4 quarterback in 2024 NFL Draft

In a quarterback-heavy draft, several prospects at the position are scattered across the rounds, especially in the first this year. That includes Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy who, according to Mel Kiper Jr., is higher on the board than some may think.

Kiper Jr. spoke about McCarthy’s stock in the 2024 NFL Draft during an episode of ‘First Draft’ with Field Yates on Thursday. To him, the former Wolverine is the No. 4 quarterback behind Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye but ahead of the next pair out of the Pac-12.

“When you think about where we are right now with J.J.? I think he’s quarterback four,” said Kiper Jr.. “I think he’s QB No. 4. He’s ahed of Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix.”

In Kiper Jr.’s latest big board, McCarthy is the No. 23 prospect overall. However, as far as a potential landing spot, he took a look at the Denver Broncos at No. 12.

The only matter that comes with that is whether the franchise believes that, with some development, he can grow into the kind of quality quarterback that he’d need to be in that conference.

“I think Denver is interesting. You’re in the AFC in a division with (Patrick) Mahomes and (Justin) Herbert. You’ve got all of these AFC quarterbacks that we’re talking about. They’re all great. Mahomes is special – he’s the greatest of all time, one of the greatest of all time. You can’t just be ‘good’, you can’t be ‘average’, you can’t be ‘decent’. You’ve got to be really trying to hit the home run,” Kiper Jr. said. “That’s what you’ve got to be because average quarterbacks? It’s going to be tough. In the division? You can’t be third or fourth or a distant third or fourth. You’d better be right there for third.”

“For J.J, in two or three years? He just turned 21 years of age in February. He was 20 all year,” noted Kiper Jr.. “Is J.J. going to get to the level, with Sean Payton, where he can close that gap and be one of the elite quarterbacks in the AFC?”

Over two years as the starter in Ann Arbor, McCarthy completed 68.5% of his passes overall for over 5,700 yards, 44 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He also rushed for 500-plus yards for eight more scores.

In his 25 games as QB1 for the maize & blue, Michigan went 25-1, including two wins over Ohio State, two Big Ten Championships, and a pair of College Football Playoff appearances with one national title this past season.

The opinions on McCarthy as a player at the next level are all over the place and depends on who you ask. Still, in the end, Kiper Jr. says it’s all going to come down to which franchise sees and believes the most potential out of him as their next quarterback.

“Do you see that kind of upside with J.J. McCarthy is the big question right now,” Kiper Jr. said.