Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy a first-round pick in Todd McShay's 2024 mock draft
Michigan Wolverines football junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy is turning into quite the NFL Draft prospect for 2024, which isn’t surprising after his productive first season as the starter in 2022. The Athletic‘s Dane Brugler projected him No. 15 overall in his early mock draft, and now ESPN’s Todd McShay has him going No. 20 to the Minnesota Vikings.
McCarthy, who completed 64.6 percent of his passes for 2,719 yards last season, isn’t quite USC Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams or North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye as a prospect just yet, but the NFL community is going to watch McCarthy closely this coming season, his second as Michigan’s starter. And if all goes well, he could wind up in the opening round.
“I thought about Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. here, too, but I ultimately went with McCarthy, who threw for 22 TDs and five interceptions last season in Michigan,” McShay wrote. “There are a handful of passers who could rise into Round 1 — Penix, Oregon’s Bo Nix and Texas’ Quinn Ewers, to name a few — but McCarthy is intriguing because of his 6-foot-3 frame, running ability, accuracy and arm talent.”
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McShay mocked Williams No. 1 overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Maye No. 3 to the Washington Commanders. It’s important to note the draft order is also just a way-too-early projection at this point, since it’s determined by the 2023 season’s results.
The Vikings already have an established starting quarterback in Kirk Cousins, but he hasn’t led them to deep playoff runs and is nearing the end of his contract.
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“In Minnesota, Kirk Cousins is entering the final year of his deal, and the team could move on,” McShay pointed out. “Despite winning 13 games last season, the Vikings were outside the top 20 in QBR (49.9). McCarthy could be the future for a team like Minnesota if he takes the next step in 2023.”
There will likely be several other teams interested in taking a quarterback. McShay only projected three quarterbacks to go off the board in the first round — Williams, Maye and McCarthy.
Michigan hasn’t had a quarterback be selected in the first round since Jim Harbaugh — now the team’s head coach entering his ninth season — in 1985. Harbaugh was taken by the Chicago Bears with the 26th pick. He’s the Wolverines’ highest-drafted signal-caller in the modern era.
Michigan’s signal-caller was rehabbing from a shoulder injury last offseason but is fully healthy this time around. He went through spring ball and said things were “effortless,” and he’ll continue to build chemistry with his receivers and the rest of the offseason this summer.
McShay did not project any other Michigan players to be picked in his first-round mock draft.
