J.J. McCarthy heads to AFC team in Mel Kiper's latest mock draft
The Michigan Wolverines and a record 18 players head to Indianapolis for the NFL Combine this week with the conversation revolving around quarterback J.J. McCarthy. This week is about solidifying him as a first-round prospect, and ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. still has him in that conversation.
In his most recent mock draft, Kiper has McCarthy heading to the Denver Broncos with the No. 12 overall pick.
“I’m following my co-workers and slotting in a quarterback to the Broncos,” Kiper said. “Why? This might be their only chance to add a high-ceiling signal-caller prospect this offseason — and not mortgage their future to do it. They’re almost certainly going to cut Russell Wilson, leaving a void on the depth chart. They don’t have the cap space to try to add a veteran. Moving up from No. 12 might require a future first-rounder that would hamper them down the road. So why not take a shot on McCarthy?
“Look, this would be a reach by my rankings, but I could see why a team in the top 15 would talk itself into McCarthy. He has an intriguing skill set as a passer. He will test extremely well during combine workouts and impress coaches and front office execs in interviews. He wasn’t asked to carry the Wolverines with his arm the past two seasons, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t do it. Sure, McCarthy needs some refinement, but Sean Payton could get the best out of him in Denver.”
Kiper said this week on a podcast that the Atlanta Falcons, who have been mentioned as a potential landing spot for McCarthy with the No. 8 overall pick, might be a bit too high to take a shot on the Michigan signal-caller.
“Try to move up [if you’re the Falcons],” Kiper said. “If you can move up and get Caleb (Williams) or Jayden (Daniels) or Drake (Maye)? I would be aggressive, if I were Atlanta, to try and do that,” Kiper said. “If you’re sitting at eight and you cannot move up? I’m not taking J.J. McCarthy at eight. It’s too high for me.”
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. He is currently the 30th-ranked player in the 2024 NFL Draft class on Pro Football Focus’ big board.
McCarthy could match or eclipse his former head coach, but could also fall somewhere into the second round. That would put him in the running to be selected somewhere close to Michigan’s second-highest quarterback selected since Harbaugh in Chad Henne, who went 57th overall to the Miami Dolphins in 2007.
Since then, Michigan has had only a single quarterback drafted. That designation went to Jake Rudock, who was a seventh-round selection of the Detroit Lions in 2016.
The NFL Combine runs through March 4 in Indianapolis. This year’s draft will be held in Detroit from April 25-27, just 45 minutes from Ann Arbor.
