Perhaps the hype surrounding Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy is all smoke and mirrors.
In his latest mock draft, Matt Miller of ESPN asked scouts to make the top 10 picks of the NFL Draft. None of them selected McCarthy.
"This was a chance to learn a lot about how evaluators truly see this class and how pressure to fill needs — especially at quarterback — influences what general managers will do," wrote Miller. "However, it's notable that none of our [scouts] drafted McCarthy, who is ranked No. 19 on my board but is also widely expected to be drafted in the top six."
It's worth noting that there were no trades in Miller's mock since scouts were anonymous and couldn't collaborate. QB-needy teams, such as the Denver Broncos (No. 12), Las Vegas Raiders (No. 13) and Minnesota Vikings (No. 11), may move up for the national champion.
Offering another opinion, ESPN's Adam Schefter believes McCarthy won't slide on draft day and could still be one of the first three players off the board.
"Well, I think he's jumping up draft boards," Schefter told Brad Galli of WXYZ-TV in Detroit. "I think he's going to be picked somewhere between two or three or 11 and 12, somewhere in that range, and he's going to be a first-round pick."
The Commanders – who have the second overall pick – are showing interest in McCarthy. Per Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, Washington hosted McCarthy and fellow quarterback prospects Drake Maye (North Carolina), Jayden Daniels (LSU) and Michael Penix Jr. (Washington) on Tuesday.
A fascinating detail: the Commanders are hosting LSU QB Jayden Daniels, North Carolina QB Drake Maye, Michigan QB JJ McCarthy and Washington QB Michael Penix on their 30 visits TOGETHER tonight and tomorrow, per sources.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 16, 2024
They're part of a much larger group of prospects coming.
Regardless, it's interesting none of the scouts took McCarthy. While his stock has soared during the draft process, his numbers in 2023 didn't wow. In 15 games, he completed 72.3% of his passes for 22 TDs, four interceptions and a 167.4 passer rating.
It's that McCarthy - Wilson connection.@UMichFootball | #BigTenSaturdayNight pic.twitter.com/75HdvHP7rb
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) October 22, 2023
Still, teams will take a risk if they don't have an answer at the most important position. With that in mind, don't be surprised if McCarthy is a top-10 pick.
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