Is JJ McCarthy Worthy of Top 10?

JJ McCarthy has emerged as one of the most debated prospects of the year in football circles. His draft stock has seen a wide spectrum of opinions, ranging from being touted as a potential top 10 pick to slipping well below the 100 mark on various draft boards. Amidst this uncertainty, the question arises: where does JJ McCarthy truly belong in the draft?

Determining McCarthy’s position in the first round necessitates an evaluation of his talent vis-a-vis the expectations of a first-round pick. In my initial edition of the top fifty prospects, McCarthy landed at 41, suggesting that he may not be a consensus first-rounder. However, the nature of team needs often sees players selected earlier than anticipated. Notably, the buzz surrounding McCarthy has elevated his standing, with several NFL teams reportedly valuing him higher than conventional scouting dictates. Consequently, despite initial reservations, it became increasingly difficult to exclude McCarthy from the first-round conversation.

Identifying potential landing spots for McCarthy involves scrutinizing teams in need of a quarterback with a first-round selection. Among the viable candidates, certain teams appear less likely to prioritize a quarterback in this draft, thus narrowing the field. Considering projections for other top quarterbacks like Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels, as well as each team’s circumstances, we can eliminate certain options. 

This process leaves us with a shortlist of teams: the Giants, Falcons, Vikings, Broncos, Raiders, Saints, Rams, and Steelers. Given the buzz surrounding McCarthy, it’s improbable that he falls beyond the 15th pick unless a team trades up to secure him. Hence, based on this assumption, we can exclude the Rams and Steelers from contention.

When looking at teams like the Giants and Raiders, it seems that quarterback is an unlikely direction for them to head in this draft, as they need lots of other help in other positions. Based on all the information I’ve gathered from sources across the NFL, the three teams I see selecting McCarthy comes down to the Falcons, Vikings or the Broncos. When looking at the quarterbacks floating in free agency, I think of Kirk Cousins and the dilemma there in Minnesota. As of now, I think they’ll pass on drafting a quarterback and hopefully work something out with Cousins. When it comes to the Falcons, one name keeps floating around Atlanta: Justin Fields. I think the Georgia native will land in Atlanta, and the Falcons wouldn’t need to select a quarterback here. That leaves one team, the Denver Broncos.