An NFL Reunion for Jim Harbaugh, J.J. McCarthy?

These two Michigan men could end up teaming up again at the next level.
An NFL Reunion for Jim Harbaugh, J.J. McCarthy?
An NFL Reunion for Jim Harbaugh, J.J. McCarthy? /

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and quarterback J.J. McCarthy just helped lead the Wolverines to a national title, finishing off an undefeated season with a dominant win over Washington in the national title game.

Even though McCarthy has declared for the 2024 NFL Draft, that championship win in Houston might not be the last time we see these two teaming up on the gridiron.

Harbaugh is drawing interest from multiple NFL teams that currently have head coach openings, and it's widely expected that he'll move on from Ann Arbor and return to the pros this offseason. 

McCarthy is among the top quarterback prospects in this year's draft class, and with a strong performance in pre-draft workouts, could end up putting himself in the first-round conversation.

Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy and head coach Jim Harbaugh
After winning a national title together, McCarthy and Harbaugh could team up again in the NFL / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Two of the teams showing strong interest in Harbaugh as their potential head coach are the Atlanta Falcons and the Las Vegas Raiders, both of which need a new franchise quarterback. While the Falcons are Raiders aren't likely to have a shot at the elite signal-callers in this year's draft (USC's Caleb Williams, North Carolina's Drake Maye, LSU's Jayden Daniels), McCarthy could be a solid consolation prize.

Current projections on McCarthy's draft slot are all over the place. It's possible the Falcons (currently picking 8th) and the Raiders (11th) could choose McCarthy in the first round, or wait to see how far he falls down the board before possibly moving up from their second-round picks to target him.

If Harbaugh ends up as the head coach for either team, that scenario becomes even more likely, considering all the praise he's heaped upon McCarthy during their time together at Michigan.

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Luke Easterling
LUKE EASTERLING

Luke Easterling (he/him) has been covering college football and the NFL for more than two decades, with a particular focus on the nexus of both, the NFL Draft. Writing for some of the largest and most recognizable brands in sports media, Luke's experience and expertise in evaluating potential NFL prospects and evaluating team needs/fits has earned the appreciation of his readers, and the respect of his peers. Luke cut his sports journalism teeth at The Tampa Tribune before spending two years at Bleacher Report as a featured columnist covering the NFL Draft and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Luke then spent nearly seven years at USA TODAY Sports Media Group as editor of Draft Wire and Bucs Wire, building both into authoritative destination sites for their respective audiences. Now at The Arena Group, Luke covers the NFL and college football for Athlon Sports, and runs Sports Illustrated's FanNation site for the NFL Draft. A graduate of the University of South Florida, Luke has been a featured guest on ESPN Radio, CBS Sports Radio, Fox Sports Radio, SiriusXM and more.  Based in Tampa, Florida (the true home of the Cuban sandwich), Luke plays the drums, loves 2000s pop-punk, watches way too many British murder mystery shows, and channels the energy of his deep-south Grammy and his full-Italian Nana in the kitchen. Twitter: @lukeeasterling Email: luke.easterling@si.com