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Newsstand: J.J. McCarthy named one of draft's top stock risers

Anthony Broomeby:Anthony Broome•03/03/24•

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Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy was one of the standout performers of the NFL Combine, and he exits the event with his stock solidified as a potential first-round selection. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said that teams were happy with what they saw at the combine.

“J.J. McCarthy the Michigan quarterback. Everyone loves the intangibles, loves that leadership, loves the winning, as I know you do,” Rapoport said to Michigan alumni Rich Eisen on the broadcast. “Wondered kind of what he could do? How could he throw it? I would say there’s a pretty good chance that he is the fourth quarterback taken, a lot closer to the top three than maybe we all imagined.”

“All the ability is there,” Daniel Jeremiah said on Saturday’s broadcast. “Look at the win-loss record. Look at the skillset. The only knock has been the volume. He didn’t get to throw as much as these other guys. Velocity and accuracy on those drive throws. You see it when he’s working in the seam and when he’s powering the ball outside the numbers as well. The athleticism, he can move and create plays. Designed quarterback runs showed up in a big way in that semifinal game against TCU. It’s volume, Rich. Just didn’t get the same amount of volume.”

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. One of the bigger knocks on him during the draft process has been Michigan’s lack of consistent passing success, but he has never focused on that.

“Stats, for me, wasn’t the big thing,” McCarthy said. “All I cared about was being the best teammate I could be. Being the best quarterback I could be, whatever is asked of me.  The only stat I cared about was winning, and we did pretty good in that category.”

Most believe he will be the fourth quarterback off the board during a run early in the draft. USC’s Caleb Williams, UNC’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels are also in the mix.

Tweets of the day

Michigan quote of the day

“I still think teams are higher on Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy than a lot of people on the outside think, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him picked in the top 10. He came to Indy as one of the prospects with the most to gain, and while teams of course have questions, he has intriguing traits. He’s the No. 4 QB in the ESPN consensus rankings.“

– ESPN’s Dan Graziano on the stock of J.J. McCarthy

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Intel: Michigan a top school for Top 100 WR, latest on five-star OT, in-state OL sets return visit
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J.J. McCarthy reflects on NFL Combine performance, confirms interviews with 11 teams

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