Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy makes huge leap in NFL Network updated mock draft
There were 32 names on NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s mock draft 1.0, but J.J. McCarthy was not one of them. The Michigan Wolverines football quarterback wasn’t a first-rounder back on Jan. 19, but he is now, with Jeremiah listing him as the No. 8 overall pick to the Atlanta Falcons in his mock draft 2.0 released Feb. 20.
Jeremiah has McCarthy as the No. 4 quarterback off the board, behind USC’s Caleb Williams (No. 1 to the Chicago Bears), North Carolina’s Drake Maye (No. 2 to the Washington Commanders) and LSU’s Jayden Daniels (No. 6 to the New York Giants).
“A lot of people around the NFL expect the Falcons to be aggressive when it comes to finding a quarterback in this year’s draft,” Jeremiah wrote. “They could trade up or, as they do in this case, stay at No. 8 and bet on McCarthy’s traits.”
Despite not participating in any all-star games and the NFL Combine still being over a week away, McCarthy’s stock has been rising in recent days. He’s widely regarded as a top 20-30 prospect overall but is now showing up as a top 10-15 pick in mock drafts. Atlanta is a popular spot, as is Minnesota at No. 11, Denver at No. 12 and Seattle at No. 16.
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Atlanta has two quarterbacks currently on the roster in Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke, both of whom started games for the franchise last season. However, quarterbacks coach T.J. Yates knows the Falcons have to be much better behind center in 2024, especially considering it was one of just a few weaknesses on the roster last season.
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“Obviously, we all know that position for this football team has to improve,” Yates said Feb. 16, “and we’re going to do everything we can to improve that position.”
Michigan hasn’t had a first-round quarterback since Jim Harbaugh was taken No. 26 overall by the Chicago Bears in 1987.
McCarthy posted a 27-1 record as the starter at Michigan, leading the Wolverines to back-to-back Big Ten championships (2022-23) and the 2023 national title. He was 40-3 as a Wolverine, earning the backup role as a freshman in 2021.
The 6-foot-3, 202-pounder was named first-team All-Big Ten and became Michigan’s first-ever winner of the Griese-Brees Big Ten Quarterback of the Year award this past season. He completed 240 of his 332 passes (72.2 percent) for 2,991 yards and 22 touchdowns with 4 interceptions. He added 64 rushes for 202 yards and 3 scores.
