The Michigan football team just finished a magical 15-0 season culminating in a 34-13 win over the Washington Huskies for the National Championship.
As the team’s celebration at Crisler Arena wound down, the question of whether quarterback JJ McCarthy would stick around for one more year echoed in the heads of millions of Michigan fans nationwide.
Recently an insane stat showing off Trevor Keegan’s immense value to the Michigan football team was revealed. Running back Donovan Edwards announced his return ahead of the 2024 spring football season.
Following McCarthy’s announcement that he would turn pro, fans took turns debating the La Grange Park, Illinois superstar’s draft prospects.
McCarthy Opinions Vary Wildly
Several mock drafts have McCarthy vaulting up NFL Draft boards, but fans on social media aren’t all buying it.
McCarthy was projected to go in the first round by many fans, while others dropped him as low as the fourth and sixth rounds.
“All the “signs” point towards it being in the 2nd or 3rd,” one fan said on X.
“Second round to the Cowboys,” another added.
Still others said he’d be taken in the fourth, fifth or sixth rounds.
“Think he’s a solid round 2/3 pick to develop under an established starter. Even as a die hard Wolverines fan, I don’t think he’s ready to start Day One.”
Full responses can be viewed on the X post below.
J.J. McCarthy should be a __ round pick in the NFL Draft:
(Presented by @prizepicks) pic.twitter.com/qqLb2yfv4I
— PFF College (@PFF_College) January 16, 2024
McCarthy’s Recent Mock Draft Projections
McCarthy’s positioning in the latest mock drafts has also been discussed.
McCarthy is projected to go 19th overall to the Los Angeles Rams according to a mock draft from The Athletic, which pointed out the Rams’ predicted preference for a young QB to take over for Matthew Stafford in the near future.
The USA Today website has McCarthy picked as the #13 overall first round selection of the Las Vegas Raiders, who went with Aidan O’Connell down the stretch of the 2023-2024 season behind center.
McCarthy’s Wolverines beat O’Connell’s Purdue Boilermakers 41-13 in the Big Ten Championship Game in 2023, a testament to the former five-star prospect’s skills as a leader and winner for Michigan football.
The angle of this throw from JJ McCarthy against Washington is absurd. pic.twitter.com/dUE4mVjpFH
— Josh Edwards (@EdwardsCBS) January 12, 2024
“McCarthy is hardly a finished product as a potential early first-round product,” USA Today wrote.
“But his athleticism and arm strength will position him to be selected far earlier than some might expect based off his production.”
