JJ McCarthy‘s dramatic surge in draft stock following his Pro Day has sparked a widespread debate. Originally projected as a 2nd round pick, his trajectory has taken a turn for good, now positioning him as an early 1st rounder. This sudden shift has left NFL analysts like Mina Kimes and Daniel Jeremiah questioning whether the hype surrounding him is real, especially since both of them had tagged him as a 2nd rounder or tier-2 QB.
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In the recent episode of the Mina Kimes Show, Jeremiah, an experienced NFL writer, joined Kimes to dissect the top quarterbacks in the upcoming draft. And the former Wolverines man sparked quite the conversation between the two. Despite McCarthy’s impressive resume, boasting a National Championship win and over 25 starts, his game film only offers glimpses of his true potential, which, according to the duo, poses a significant dilemma.
Nonetheless, attributing his ascent to simple demand and supply, Kimes and Jeremiah also noted that there are too many QB-hungry teams chasing a limited supply of quality options. They feel JJ has attributes that make him as perfect Shahnan QB, something that is desirable to many coaches around the league.
To further understand his rise and what he brings to the table, Jeremiah looked deeper at his third-down conversions, offering a glimpse into what head coaches see in him. While McCarthy possesses every tool in his armory and all the attributes for success, his talents aren’t visible on his game tape, compared to his counterparts. Jeremiah said,
“So I went 3rd &7 plus every throw he made, it looks really good. You see him make different types of throws, extend plays and do it all. The major issue is the sample size.”
Despite being fascinated by all the razzmatazz, they find themselves immersed in a puff of smoke that exceeds their expectations, more than they had anticipated. While they don’t know what’s going to happen or where he will land, they, however, can’t justify his selection in the top five overall, especially considering the limited and small sample size presented before them.
Keeping that aside, it’s also worth noting that many others, including Mina Kimes, were apprehensive of Brock Purdy ever since he became a starter for the 49ers; however, after two back-to-back standout seasons, it has no longer been the case. Nevertheless, Kimes feels that McCarthy has a lot of qualities that remind her of Purdy and he might turn it around just like the Niners man if given a similar environment.
JJ McCarthy Draws Comparison to Brock Purdy
Mina compared JJ to Brock Purdy in the sense that both have qualities that are best suited to the offenses and systems they play in. Like Brock, the Wolverines’ shot-caller offers a willingness to make accurate plays in the middle of the field when required. However, she rates McCarthy as a better decision-maker, adept at keeping the ball safe and unwilling to throw the ball unnecessarily, and is a good athlete, with all the qualities that many Offensive Coordinators and HCs want in this league. She said,
“I sort of went through a journey with Brock Purdy that I think it actually kind of reminds me,” Kimes remarked. “I get like within the context of this offence, he’s really giving you everything you need in terms of willingness to throw over the middle of the field, the accuracy. I just think just there are so many play-callers around the league that’s kind of what they want. He’s also a really good athlete and has got a strong arm. I think it’s all the things these guys want.”
It means if he gets a system like Purdy and a coach like Shanahan who gets the best out of all his qualities, he would be a success in the league. But despite highlighting all of his good qualities, both Mina and Jeremiah had doubts beyond the game tape. They felt he doesn’t offer much playmaking abilities and doesn’t have a lot of touch throws in his arsenal.
For all his promises, McCarthy remains a divisive figure among draft analysts. But in the world of football, anything can happen and JJ McCarthy’s story is far from over. With the draft only weeks away, all eyes are on him and he will have a chance to prove his doubters wrong and carve out a place for him in the league. Where you get picked doesn’t matter. You get to write your own story. The last Michigan National Champion QB was picked 199th and turned out to be the greatest QB of all time.
