Patriots' J.J. McCarthy Draft Interest: ‘Smoke and Mirrors’?

Are Eliot Wolf and the New England Patriots seriously considering drafting Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy as their new quarterback?

Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy points down the field during the second half of the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. / Melanie Maxwell / USA TODAY NETWORK

Are the New England Patriots ready to draw from the well of Michigan quarterback talent once again?

After being awarded the game’s greatest windfall — drafting ex-Wolverines quarterback Tom Brady with selection No. 199 in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft — the Pats are reportedly inclined to tempt fate once again by considering CFS national champion J.J. McCarthy.

McCarthy, per a recent Sportskeeda report, has become of great interest to Patriots director of scouting Eliot Wolf.  As such, New England has emerged as a potential favorite to land the quarterback in the upcoming NFL Draft. 

“I’m not big on McCarthy being a top-10 selection, but the UM signal caller to New England was the buzz on the pro-day circuit,” wrote NFL insider Tony Pauline. “De facto general manager Eliot Wolf is pushing hard for McCarthy, and he believes he has as much upside as any quarterback in this draft.”

Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy kisses the championship trophy to celebrate the Wolverines' 34-13 victory. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

While much of Pats Nation’s attention has been focused on UNC’s Drake Maye or LSU’s Jayden Daniels as potential picks at No. 3 overall, McCarthy has emerged as somewhat of a dark horse candidate for the quarterback-needy Patriots. Before discounting their interest as mere posturing, a Patriots Country source (with ties to both the Pats, as well as Michigan football) believes there is substance behind the club’s apparent interest in the All-Big 10 first-teamer. 

”I wouldn’t discount New England’s interest as ‘smoke and mirrors,’” per source. “J.J. [McCarthy] was impressive during his [pro day] workouts. He missed, what, only two passes? He’s a strong kid and has a nice touch on the ball. How could that not interest [Eliot] Wolf and the Patriots coaching staff?” 

“Don’t forget, that National Championship line item looks great on a resume … they like that kind of hardware over there [New England.”]

Following a strong showing at his workouts in Ann Arbor last week, McCarthy is now being mentioned as a likely top-5 selection. Whereas both Maye and Daniels have been considered as such since the start of the draft cycle, McCarthy’s rapid ascent on several of the nation’s most-prominent draft boards has placed him in a new light. Accordingly, some are beginning to wonder whether the 2023 Griese-Brees quarterback of the year could be the next face of the Patriots franchise. 

Throughout his three seasons with the Wolverines, McCarthy completed 482 of 713 pass attempts (67.6 percent) for 6,226 yards with 49 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He also proved himself capable of finding the end zone himself, by earning 10 rushing touchdowns.

Last season, McCarthy led Michigan to a national title, throwing for 2,991 yards, 22 touchdowns and four interceptions. However, coach Jim Harbaugh primarily deployed a run-centric style of offense, which limited the 21-year-old to an average of 22.1 pass attempts per game. 

In spite of his somewhat limited sample size of on-field action, McCarthy’s prowess is evident for those who spend some extra time studying his mechanics. Though he may not possess Maye’s arm strength, or Daniels’ dual-threat electricity, McCarthy delivers positive results. In fact, an argument can be made that he becomes more effective in both third-down and late-game clutch situations. He can deliver the ball accurately from both in the pocket and on the run while splitting the defenders from his target. Still, he must learn to quickly identify and move on from problematic first reads in order to find significant success at the pro level. When he is tardy in his progressions, McCarthy’s ball placement can leave his pass-catchers in unenviable spots to make plays. 

Still, the 6-2, 219-pounder makes up for his logistical short-comings by routinely leading his team to victories. McCarthy finished his career at Michigan with a 27-1 record (.964) as the starting quarterback, the third-best winning percentage by a quarterback in college football history. Though some media pundits may self-gratifyingly point out that “wins” are not a quarterback stat, they are ultimately the only ones which matter to the team selecting them. 

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Wolf may have more than a fleeting interest in drafting McCarthy. Per his comments earlier this month, the Pats de facto general manager is looking for a franchise fit, who is not only capable of playing the game at a high-level, but also handling the additional pressures which are certain to arise as an NFL quarterback.

“I think it’s a really good year for quarterbacks,” Wolf said. "We have to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses and determine what’s best for the team. We have to determine who can handle being the quarterback of the New England Patriots.”

Whether McCarthy’s average measurables or shortage of highlight-worthy moments affect his standing on New England’s draft board is still a matter of conjecture. However, his intangibles prove that he is capable of leading his team in pressure-packed situations. When coupled with his abilities on the field, the chances of McCarthy’s landing with New England cannot be ignored.