With the Draft just a couple of weeks away, the rumors are picking up about which QB will the Patriots pick in the draft. While Caleb Williams and the Bear’s future partnerships seem inevitable, there is still no clarity around other top shot-callers and their possible landing spots. In the coming weeks, New England will host both Jayden Daniels and JJ McCarthy to get a better idea as to who is a better fit.
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There is a belief that the Patriots with their invaluable 3rd overall pick, might end up taking JJ instead of Maye or Daniels, but KeyShawn Joshson doesn’t hold this sentiment. The recent spike in McCarthy’s stock since his Pro Day has raised some eyebrows, with many mock drafts predicting he is top ten pick. The recent mock draft by a Boston reporter puts the Michigan National champions in 3rd. Johnson asserts that whatever mock drafts predict, he believes McCarthy shouldn’t be taken at 3rd.
During the recent episode of Undisputed, he stated that JJ’s game film and performances in college weren’t spectacular enough to make a top-five pick. KeyShawn feels McCarthy lacks the “wow factor”. He feels if you put the Wolverines QB at 3, it means he is in the same category as Daniels and Williams because there is not much difference in being a 1st pick or 3rd pick and McCarthy is nowhere near those other QBs.
He doesn’t have an arm or the ability to make big throws consistently like other QBs and despite winning a Natty, he didn’t throw enough, something that won’t work in the NFL, where a QB is expected to throw the ball more consistently. Johnson wants his QB to do all the things that a signal-caller does in the NFL and JJ ain’t it. He said,
” It doesn’t change my mind just because somebody writes that they’re going to take him as a QB at number 3. I am not taking JJ McCarthy with 3rd pick of the draft. I didn’t see anything in college football that made me go- Oh, my god, that’s the number 3 pick in the draft because if you are three, that means you could be one or two. You’re telling me right now that our eyes have told us that he’s equal to Caleb and Daniels because one and three aren’t far apart. What did you see this year other than the National Championship that make me go- Oh, my God I got have this guy.”
Despite all the hype around JJ, not many analysts put him inside the top 10 of their board which might come to the Patriot’s benefit if they do decide to draft him.
JJ McCarthy Draft Prediction
Even though McCarthy’s rise has been spectacular, not everyone is fixed on where he will land on the board. However, a common theme in all the mock drafts is him being picked in the first round which wasn’t possible before his Pro Day. However, despite all the hype and excitement around him, most draft analysts still see him as a second-tier QB who is nowhere near the top five.
As per Sports Illustrated‘s Luke Easterling doesn’t expect JJ McCarthy to be picked in the first round. However, ESPN’s Mel Kiper sees him as the 5th best QB in the draft to be picked late in the first round. Jordan Reid, a draft analyst puts him at 12th as a QB for the Broncos. Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, with USA Today and CBS’ Ryan Wilson, both place him 13th on the board with Las Vegas as his possible destination.
Given many mock drafts don’t put McCarthy inside the top five and if this becomes a reality, and the Patriots do decide to pick him, they might end up saving a lot of draft capital because they would have to move down to wherever he lands, and their 3rd overall pick will be in play. Many teams won’t mind moving to three to draft a QB like Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye. McCarthy despite boasting all the qualities and a natty in his resume, is still an unfinished product and would need time to develop in the NFL.
Many teams don’t have the luxury to develop him, which the Patriots have as the club and new HC Jerod Mayo has time and time reiterated that they are building a new project, for which they might need more than QB. They are keen on accumulating draft capital to rebuild the squad before challenging for silverware and JJ might fit perfectly in that scheme.
