JJ McCarthy STILL Climbing Draft Boards

Former Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy continues to impress NFL executives ahead of this month's draft.

Jan 8, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) celebrates after / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

It's been quite a stretch of months for JJ McCarthy. After putting a bow on a perfect 15-0 season and winning a national title, McCarthy got engaged to his high school sweetheart, crushed it at the NFL Combine, crushed it even more at his pro day and has been climbing mock draft boards ever since. In fact, people close to the league now think Michigan's golden boy may be the No. 2 overall pick in a couple of weeks.

It's pretty much a foregone conclusion that USC's Caleb Williams will be going No. 1 overall to the Chicago Bears. After that, McCarthy has been mocked to just about every team that needs a quarterback. However, only recently has that list included the Washington Commanders who sit at No. 2. Until the last couple of days, most believed that North Carolina's Drake Maye was a lock for the second overall pick, but not anymore.

McCarthy has also been linked to the New England Patriots at No. 3, several teams who might want to trade into the Arizona Cardinal's No. 4 spot including the Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings and Las Vegas Raiders and maybe even the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans at No. 6 and 7 respectfully.

Wherever he ends up getting picked, it's going to be high. Earlier in the season, he was viewed as a fringe first-round pick. After Michigan's magical run he started to slide into the latter part of the first round. Once the combine neared and people really started digging into him, it was more like the mid first round. Now, after impressive in-person showings and plenty of speaking engagements where he absolutely shines, McCarthy is very likely going to be a top five pick and will almost certainly be a top ten pick if he "slides" past No. 4.

Some people are surprised, but Michigan fans are not and Jim Harbaugh certainly is not. The new head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers is sitting at pick No. 5, but has no interest in McCarthy only because he already has a franchise quarterback in Justin Herbert. If Herbert wasn't on the roster, you can bet Harbaugh and the Bolts would be in play as well.

"I think he plays quarterback the best of any quarterback in the draft," said Harbaugh a couple weeks ago at league meetings. "He's incredible. So, big market, small market. Cold weather, hot weather, it won't matter."

In early-February, Harbaugh sang McCarthy's praises even more while speaking with Colin Cowherd.

"Arm talent, athleticism, it-factor, winning with numbing repetition. Don't be surprised if, when he's the No. 1 quarterback off the board. That's my prediction right now," Harbaugh said. "When people get a load of JJ and how he can throw the ball, how he spins it, his athleticism, his intelligence. Talk about ‘it-factor,’ he's got it. The competitiveness that he has, and they get around him, and they really start digging in, and they start talking to him."

Wherever McCarthy goes, he's going to bring it, that trait is in his DNA. He's got all the tools to be extremely successful. Will it happen right out of the gate? That's TBD. Obviously young quarterbacks need help, but don't be surprised when McCarthy climbs the ranks in the league just like he did ahead of the draft.