Former Michigan Star JJ McCarthy Receives Huge Praise from Vikings' Teammate

Minnesota Vikings rookie and former Michigan star JJ McCarthy is receiving huge praise from a teammate.

Jan 8, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) reacts during the second quarter against the Washington Huskies in the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship game at NRG Stadium. / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Former Michigan Wolverines star and current Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback JJ McCarthy is expected to be the long-term face of the franchise for his new team.

After leading the Wolverines to an NCAA Championship win last year, McCarthy is battling for playing time as a rookie with the Vikings. Right now, it seems that the team will roll with Sam Darnold as their Week 1 starter barring a major change.

McCarthy was selected with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He is already drawing very positive reviews from his new teammtes.

Minnesota linebacker Blake Cashman took some time to speak out about the rookie quarterback. He has been very impressed with what he has seen.

"He's gonna be a great player for a long time, and I can't wait to continue to see his growth. Not only as a quarterback with his skills, but also becoming an even smarter player."

Cashman continued on, talking more about McCarthy and what he has seen from the youngster so far.

"I didn't know much about his game before. I knew he was an outstanding quarterback. Winning followed him at Michigan. But I didn't realize how much heat he can put on the ball. He's got a great long ball. And even those tight windows, where it closes fast at the next level, he can zip the ball past a linebacker or safety's head and squeeze it in those tight windows. That's very promising to see."

Finally, Cashman dropped a bold thought about McCarthy's early leadership skills that he has been showing.

"He's a leader. He's eager to learn. A lot of young guys, sometimes they can come in, be a little timid or shy, but he's walking around the locker room, big smile on his face, shaking hands, getting to know everybody."

While there are many who doubt the former Michigan star's ability to translate to the NFL, he is simply a winner. He finds ways to win in every aspect of life.

Not only did he win big with the Wolverines and lead them to a championship, he also won off the field in the NIL market.

McCarthy ended up having an NIL valuatio of $1.6 million. He was a top-10 NIL earner across all of college sports.

Now, he'll look to turn his success in college and the NIL marketplace into NFL success. McCarthy is showing good signs early on and it will be intriguing to watch his development over the next few years.