From now until the 2024 NFL Draft takes place, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy.
#9 J.J. MCCARTHY, QB, MICHIGAN – (JUNIOR) 6024, 219 POUNDS
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| J.J. McCarthy | 6024/219 | 9″ | 31 5/8″ | N/A |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| DNP | DNP | 4.23 | 6.82 | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| DNP | DNP | DNP |
THE GOOD
— Has good height for the position
— Possesses adequate athleticism to maneuver the pocket and extend plays
— Has the mobility to be a threat on option plays as well as quarterback scrambles
— Pocket presence helps him evade pressure and either escape or step up to throw
— More than capable of executing rollout passes and play action on the move
— Can throw off-platform passes with accuracy to his intended target
— Has a strong arm when it comes to ball distance downfield
— Adequate velocity on his throws to get passes to intended target on time
— Mechanics are strong on his release of the football, leading to accurate passes
— Can thread the needle on passes going into tight coverage as well as drop the ball in the bucket
— Displays toughness by standing in the pocket and delivering a pass when going to get hit
— Field general that calls out audibles pre-snap and directs traffic post-snap
— Does a good job keeping his eyes downfield looking for open receivers
THE BAD
— Thin frame that could stand to add more mass
— Lack of bulk could lead to durability issues at the next level
— Doesn’t have incredible zip on the ball and will occasionally underthrow deep passes
— Has passes sail on him on occasion when feet aren’t set or rushing his progression
— Can play hero ball from time to time rather than living to fight another down
— Benefitted from a dominant offensive line and run game rather than being the center of the show
— Can get aught locking onto one target when trying to extend the play
BIO
— Junior prospect from La Grange Park, IL
— Born January 20, 2003 (age 21)
— Also an accomplished hockey player
— Majoring in General Studies
— Four-star prospect, 2021 All-American Bowl, 2021 Polynesian Bowl, Elite 11 selection
— Finished his high school career with a 36-2 record as a starter
— Led Nazareth Academy to three state titles, winning the championship in 2018
— Transferred to IMG Academy for his final season, leading them to an 8-0 record
— Committed to Michigan and appeared in 11 games in 2021; completed 34-of-59 pass attempts for 516 yards with five touchdowns to two interceptions and added 124 yards rushing and two scores
— Appeared in all 14 games with 13 starts in 2022; completed 208-of-322 pass attempts for 2,719 yards with 22 touchdowns and five interceptions; added 306 rushing yards with five touchdowns on 70 attempts
— Started all 15 games in 2023; completed 240-of-332 pass attempts for 2,991 yards with 22 touchdowns and four interceptions; added 202 rush yards and three rushing touchdowns
— Helped lead the Wolverines to three-straight CFP berths, winning the title in 2023
— Second team All-Big Ten (2022) Two-time Academic All-Big Ten (2022-23)
— Finished his career with a 27-1 record as a starter
TAPE BREAKDOWN
J.J. McCarthy has been a winner everywhere he’s gone in his football life. He helped lead Nazareth Academy to three straight titles, winning one before going on to IMG Academy, where he would conclude his high school career with a 36-2 record. He would bump that career record as a starting quarterback to 63-3 during his time as a Michigan Man, becoming a part-time starter for the Wolverines as a true freshman before taking the reins his sophomore season, helping lead Michigan to three-straight CFP berths, winning it all just last month before declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft.
When you pop in the tape on McCarthy, you see the qualities that make him a quarterback who can win football games. He has decent size for the positon, and while he could stand to add more mass to his frame, McCarthy does show good mobility both in the pocket as well as creating for himself on the ground. He is a capable scrambler who can extend plays with his legs or keep it himself to get the score, as you see on this clip against Minnesota, faking the give to the back as he calls his own number, getting to the sideline before getting into the end zone for six.
McCarthy’s mobility also shows up when the play breaks down in the pocket, being able to navigate the pocket to find a new spot to throw or evade the pressure altogether and take off with his legs. Watch this rep where the defender nearly gets to McCarthy in the pocket, but McCarthy is able to get out of the sack, scramble to his right while keeping his eyes downfield, and then tuck the ball and run to pick up the first down, getting to the ground quickly to avoid taking a big hit.
McCarthy’s mobility also shows up as a passer as he is a capable thrower on the run, being able to execute play-action rollouts and boot plays with relative ease. Here are a couple of examples against Michigan State where McCarthy makes some throws on the run, finding an open target for the first down or the touchdown in the clips below.
McCarthy’s best trait as a passer is his accuracy. He has a knack for fitting in passes in tight windows in coverage, placing the ball just perfectly out of the reach of the defender attempting to deflect the pass to his intended target. Here are a couple of examples against the Spartans of McCarthy’s great accuracy from the pocket/ He fits the first pass into his intended target over the outstretched arm of the defender while the second pass drops right over the head of the defender into the hands of the tight end running down the seam for the score.
When it comes to arm strength, McCarthy has a strong enough arm when it comes to air distance and velocity. He’s not going to throw a football 70 yards on a rope, but he can push the ball down the field 50+ yards when he needs to. Watch this play against the Golden Gophers as McCarthy drops back to pass after faking the play action, stepping into his throw that he releases from the 40-yard line, placing it on his receiver at the opposite 10-yard line. The receiver needs to slow down just a tad to track the ball in the air, but he manages to make the catch over the defender near the five-yard line.
McCarthy needs to add some more mass onto his frame for the rigors of the National Football League, but he has shown to be tough in the pocket and can deliver accurate passes with the defense bearing down on him. Check out this play where McCarthy drops back to pass and starts to climb the pocket as the defense closes in on him. He gets lit up by a defender as he releases the football but still manages to deliver an accurate pass to the tight end running down the field for the score.
One negative that sticks out from McCarthy’s tape is that he does tend to sail some passes over the head of his intended target on occasion. Like in the clip below against Michigan State, we see McCarthy try to shoulder the pass down the field, having his mechanics wane on him just enough for the pass to go over the outstretched hands of his intended target running wide-open down the sideline for what would have been a walk-in touchdown.
Another quality that McCarthy needs to watch when transitioning to the league is his desire to try to make a play, even when there is nothing there. This “hero ball” mentality can lead to costly turnovers, as you see in the clip below against Alabama as McCarthy extends the play out of the pocket, locking onto one target near the sideline as he waits till the last minute to throw the pass, tossing it to an Alabama defender. Fortunately, the defender couldn’t get his feet down before falling out of bounds, but McCarthy’s poor decision to force a play nearly resulted in an interception.
CONCLUSION
J.J. McCarthy may not have the raw arm strength of Caleb Williams or the freaky athleticism of Jayden Daniels in this draft class, but he does have the intangibles as a field general as well as the accuracy and pocket presence that make him a legit quarterback prospect in this talented draft class. He does need to work on his frame as well as improve his execution in some aspects of his game, but McCarthy is a smart player who has been a winner everywhere he’s gone, displaying the traits needed to protect the football, execute on possession downs, and make clutch passes in crunch time to help will his team to victory.
When coming up with a pro comparison for McCarthy, a blend of Zach Wilson and Kirk Cousins came to mind as McCarthy and Wilson share a nearly identical frame, play style, and background. Also, both guys possess good mobility and operate both in the shotgun as well as under center. However, Wilson had a more powerful arm coming out, while McCarthy possessed more accuracy and better decision-making, thus drawing the Cousins’ comparison. Cousins isn’t as mobile but can be surgical in the pocket as a passer while displaying the capability of being a field general at the quarterback position.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a big decision to make regarding the quarterback position and whether they want to run it back with Kenny Pickett for another season or opt to get fresh blood in at the position after two uninspiring seasons from their former first-round pick. McCarthy would likely command a first-round pick in the range of where the Steelers will be picking at 20th overall, but he does have a lot of the qualities that the Steelers desire in the position, making him a name to watch throughout this process.
Projection: Mid-first/Early Second Round
Depot Draft Grade: 8.6 – Year One Quality Starter (First Round)
Games Watched: at Michigan State (2023), at Minnesota (2023), vs Alabama (2023)
