J.J. McCarthy reflects on NFL Combine performance, confirms interviews with 11 teams

The Michigan Wolverines were headlined by quarterback J.J. McCarthy at the NFL Combine on Saturday in Indianapolis. With the top three quarterbacks – USC’s Caleb Williams, UNC’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels – opting out of workouts at the event, all eyes were on McCarthy as he looks to lock down a potential top-10 selection in the NFL Draft.

His day, which included several throws on a variety of routes, was mostly well-received, especially by those on hand in Indianapolis.

“He went out there, competed, and threw the ball very, very well,” NFL Network’s Peter Schrager said. “I got a text from an NFL evaluator, a very respected one saying, ‘Of all these guys, McCarthy translates to the NFL the most.’ He had an outstanding day out here.”

Analyst Daniel Jeremiah later said: “When you study this guy, the things that jump out to me are the arm strength…the ball jumps out of his hand. He’s able to drive the ball into the seams. You see him drive it out side the numbers as well with velocity and accuracy.”

After his day was done, McCarthy joined Michigan alum Rich Eisen and Jeremiah from the booth at Lucas Oil Stadium, reflecting on his day.

“So much fun,” McCarthy said. “Personally there’s a lot of things I’d like to get back. The shuttles, a couple of throws here and there. But had a great time being around the guys and the coaches and it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

McCarthy spent the last few weeks working out in Huntington Beach with quarterbacks coach John Beck, putting on 18 pounds ahead of the NFL Combine. He has also focused on the finer points of his game as he works himself into top draft form.

“[Footwork has] been a focus for me ever since I stepped into college,” he said. “Coach Harbaugh was big on working from the foundation up and that was something we harped on for a long time. Good foundation, timing everything up footwork and rhythm. Big thing I have been focusing on is putting some touch on the ball and getting a more catchable ball. I feel like I did that today a little bit.”

Harbaugh, on hand in the stadium wearing a Michigan Rose Bowl crewneck and Los Angeles Chargers hat, had a major impact on McCarthy’s game, and he discussed what his former head coach instilled in him.

“Just his obsessive love for the game,” McCarthy said. “You don’t see that or feel that right away when you meet coaches on the road and during the recruiting process. But he was just all about ball. You could tell right away that he was a competitor. He’s been there before. And he was just somebody that I wanted to play for from the get-go. 

“He instilled a lot of wisdom that he learned over the years so I didnt make the same mistakes. Toughness, grit, dedication, blue collar mentality. Bulding the thought process of winning is everything. We were talking about stats early on and he was telling me the biggest thing they look at is wins and losses. Learning that at such a young age was something I appreciate more than anything.”

McCarthy, who was 27-1 as a starter at Michigan, threw for 2,991 yards with 22 touchdowns and 4 interceptions this season for the Maize and Blue, completing 240-of-332 (72.3%) of his passes. This season culminated in a 15-0 record and the College Football Playoff National Championship. He discussed the key to leading that charge.

“I would say it was ultimately the love we had for each other and the single-minded focus on winning the national championship,” McCarthy said. “That was something that we didn’t really have our sights on freshman and sophomore year and that was something we worked for every single day. The rest took care of itself.”

“We had guidance and had to stick to the plan and follow with.”

McCarthy confirmed 11 formal meetings with NFL teams in Indianapolis – Washington, New Orleans, Denver, Atlanta Minnesota, New England, Las Vegas, Tampa Bay, Chicago, NY Giants and Seattle. From here, he’ll head back to California to train before returning to Ann Arbor for Pro Day on March 18.

Once again addressing the narrative that he did not have enough opportunities to throw in college, McCarthy stressed that the system at Michigan was built to win games by any means necessary.

“Based off the system I was placed in in a pro-style system, we’re not dropping back 50 times a game,” McCarthy said. “So just naturally, it’s not going to look like the same numbers as guys in the Pac-12 and the SEC. But at the end of the day, it’s all about winning football games and that’s all I cared about. Coach Moore had the smashmouth mentality with two amazing running backs and an amazing offensive line every single time I was there. We were getting 6-7-8 yards a pop. Why wouldn’t we do what’s working? You can’t go broke taking a profit. At the end of the day, this is another valuable lesson I learned, you have to rely on the run game because it sets up everything else. I was very fortunate to be part of a special group.”

Michigan has 18 guys at the combine this year and next year’s team will take on a much different look under a new coaching staff, but McCarthy thinks a run is sustainable. He’ll be supporting them the whole way.

“Keep thinking that, because I’ve got a feeling that there’s a lot of hungry dudes that are hearing that every single day, and it’s fueling them even more,” McCarthy said. “I know the type of intangibles that program creates, and it’s going to be a fun year for them. Definitely excited to watch.”