Michigan football quarterback JJ McCarthy mocked as a 1st Round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft

This spring, the Michigan football program once again established itself as a leader in the Big Ten, with nine players being drafted following the Wolverines’ historic 13-1 campaign in 2022. Now, with more talent and production than ever, Jim Harbaugh and Co. will be looking to build on that success in the coming year. According to an NFL Draft analyst, Michigan football will have a first-round pick at quarterback this fall, which could be huge for the program, seeing as the Wolverines have not had a first-round QB in decades.

Michigan football quarterback JJ McCarthy mocked as a 1st-round pick for the 2024 NFL Draft

JJ McCarthy is facing some massive expectations in his third year at Michigan; a season ago, as a first-year starter, the then-sophomore quarterback led his program to the winningest season in Michigan football history (13 wins), a second-straight Big Ten title, a 22-point win over Ohio State, and more. This fall, McCarthy will be looking to build on that success moving forward, perhaps even eyeing the Wolverines’ single-season passing touchdown record, which appears to be low-hanging fruit for an elite-tier quarterback (25).

Aside from his lofty goals at Michigan — including a third-straight Big Ten title, a Heisman Trophy, a national championship, and more, McCarthy is looking at possibly being a top-ranked pick in next year’s NFL Draft. It may be early, though one of the top draft experts has already penciled JJ McCarthy into his top 20 ahead of the 2023 college football season.

Where does the Wolverines’ tar QB fall in the draft?

According to Todd McShay, JJ McCarthy is going to be a top 20 NFL Draft pick in 2024, coming off the board before numerous other notable names. McCarthy falls at No. 20 overall in his most recent mock draft following a 22-touchdown, 5-interception season with the Wolverines a year ago. Here is his explanation:

“I thought about Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. here, too, but I ultimately went with McCarthy, who threw for 22 TDs and five interceptions last season in Michigan,” wrote McShay. “There are a handful of passers who could rise into Round 1– Penix, Oregon’s Bo Nix and Texas Quinn Ewers, to name a few — but McCarthy is intriguing because of his 6-foot-3 frame, running ability, accuracy and arm talent.

“In Minnesota, Kirk Cousins is entering the final year of his deal, and the team could move on. Despite winning 13 games last season, the Vikings were outside the top 20 in Total QBR (49.9). McCarthy could be the future for a team like Minnesota if he takes the next step in 2023.”

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