At its most extreme, the NFL draft can be as shocking as shows like “Succession” and “Game of Thrones” when it comes to surprising the audience — the 2024 version might offer more of the same.
ESPN’s Matt Miller identified a potential unexpected move in the draft on April 5 in his latest update on buzz and rumors surrounding the first round on April 25 in Detroit, and it involves the Washington Commanders at the No. 2 overall pick.
Instead of selecting LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels or North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye — as has been widely predicted — Miller says Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy has firmly placed himself in the race to be the Commanders’ franchise quarterback of the future.
“If only one or two people were saying it, I would likely ignore it as the usual April draft buzz that doesn’t materialize,” Miller wrote. “But enough sources around the NFL are whispering that McCarthy could very well be the second quarterback off the board that it has to be considered possible at this point … ruling out McCarthy in Washington would be foolish based on league-wide intel surrounding the quarterbacks.”
J.J. McCarthy’s Value Rises Heading Into 2024 NFL Draft
Two months ago, McCarthy was not a consideration for the three teams picking at the top of the draft — the Chicago Bears, Commanders and New England Patriots. Three weeks away from draft day, he’s become a hot topic of discussion.
McCarthy is widely seen as the fourth-best quarterback in the draft behind USC’s Caleb Williams, who appears to be a virtual lock at No. 1 to the Bears.
ESPN NFL draft experts Mel Kiper Jr., Jordan Reid, Matt Miller and Field Yates have McCarthy as a unanimous No. 4 quarterback in their latest position rankings. McCarthy didn’t make their Top 10 overall player consensus rankings, either.
Kiper Jr. has McCarthy remaining at No. 14 overall in his latest player rankings released on April 5.
“McCarthy has first-round arm talent and can beat defenses with his legs too. He ranked third in the country in Total QBR (89.2) and completion percentage (72.3%) in 2023,” Kiper Jr. wrote. “Since he took over as the Wolverines’ starter in 2022, he threw 44 touchdown passes and nine interceptions. Five of those INTs have come in two games, however; he threw three against Bowling Green earlier in 2023, and he had two pick-sixes in the College Football Playoff semifinal loss to TCU in 2022. Outside of those two games, he has managed games effectively and made great decisions with the football.”
Not Everyone Impressed with J.J. McCarthy Ahead of Draft
Not everyone is convinced that the Michigan star will become a franchise quarterback.
“Enigmatic quarterback lacking the measurables and highlight-worthy throws associated with early round quarterbacks but possessing attributes that require more examination and consideration,” wrote NFL analyst Lance Zierlein in his evaluation of McCarthy. “McCarthy lacks frame thickness and a strong arm. He’s fairly composed in the pocket but is average as a pocket passer. His ball placement and timing need to improve to help offset an average operation time due to a windup release.”
