Jim Harbaugh Makes Wild J.J. McCarthy Draft Prediction

Is this just a coach doing some good PR work for his former quarterback? Or legit?

Any quarterback who posts a 27-1 collegiate record and delivers the first national championship in 27 years for his program will inevitably see his draft stock rise. J.J. McCarthy is that specific quarterback in this year's draft class, and that's because no sane coach can risk ignoring a leader who just wins over and over and over again.

Examining the plethora of metrics can lead to analysis paralysis, but new Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, who coached McCarthy at Michigan, is now forecasting that his guy could end up being the No.1 quarterback off the board overall.

"Let me make a prediction," Harbaugh told the Rich Eisen Show. "Don't be surprised if he goes all the way to No.1 quarterback off the board."

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Hiding in plain sight behind McCarthy's outstanding total of 27 wins are his individual statistics, including 44 touchdowns against only nine total interceptions over the past two seasons. These numbers were compiled under the immense pressure of winning a long overdue championship for a coach who spent time away from the team when he was suspended.

One or two mock drafts are jumping on the Harbaugh bandwagon, predicting a meteoric rise up the draft board by McCarthy. Earlier this week, CBS Sports had Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos picking the former Michigan star No. 12 overall. 

If Harbaugh is right, that could be a real steal, not a draft-day reach. Hours of Michigan game tape corroborates the intangibles that combined to deliver so much success for McCarthy at Ann Arbor. 

McCarthy unflinchingly does the things that are asked of him. Furthermore, the 21-year-old is not afraid to attack the middle of the field either.

McCarthy's youth should be regarded as a considerable advantage at this stage. Indeed, if you listen a little more to what Coach Harbaugh is saying, you begin to become a firm believer in McCarthy's well-documented winning DNA — among the other vital attributes he brings to the table.

"When people see him throw in person, when they watch him run, they see the athleticism, when they do the interviews, and they start digging into how this young man is wired, and he's only 21. Mark my words, don't be surprised when he's maybe the No.1 quarterback off the board," Harbaugh said. 

It's fair to question whether Harbaugh is hyping his guy in order to get him some more pre-draft shine. The more cynical among us might suggest that another quarterback going off the board early only serves to benefit Harbaugh's Chargers, who pick No. 5 overall.

Much more importantly, there's compelling evidence to suggest that McCarthy could translate his well-established winning habit in college over to the pro game regardless of the Harbaugh hype. That could push McCarthy toward the upper echelons of this year's stellar quarterback class, where, in truth, he might fit in rather well.

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