Michigan Wolverines quarterback JJ McCarthy is reportedly set to meet with a surprising NFC East team on Thursday night as the 2024 NFL Draft draws closer.
According to a report from Bleacher Report NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Washington Commanders are set to meet with McCarthy for on Thursday night. They’ll meet in Ann Arbor, Michigan before his Pro Day on Friday.
Interestingly, Schultz also reported that JJ McCarthy had a meeting with the New York Giants last week as well. The Commanders and Giants hold the No. 2 and No. 6 picks in next month’s 2024 NFL Draft, respectively.
After trading Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers over the weekend, it’s widely assumed that the Chicago Bears will take USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 selection. With the No. 2 pick, the Commanders will presumably take either LSU’s Jayden Daniels or USC’s Drake Maye.
Sources to @BleacherReport: Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy visited the #Giants last week, which included dinner with the front office and a tour of the facility.
The #Commanders are flying out to Ann Arbor to have dinner Thursday night with McCarthy the night before his Pro Day, per… pic.twitter.com/7PJv4Z4x2z
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 19, 2024
Things then get interesting from there. Will the New England Patriots take the best remaining signal-caller at No. 3, or will they trade that pick to another QB-needy team? Or, do they keep the pick and take a top WR prospect like Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. or Washington’s Rome Odunze?
The 21-year-old JJ McCarthy is widely viewed as the fourth-best QB in this year’s class, though many scouts and analysts think he’ll be overdrafted. The Minnesota Vikings, who just acquired an additional 2024 first-round pick via the Houston Texans (No. 23 overall) are the current betting favorites to land the Michigan star.
JJ McCarthy Is A Polarizing Prospect
JJ McCarthy’s stats at Michigan weren’t eye-popping, as he never threw for more than 2,991 yards or 22 touchdowns in a season. But in McCarthy’s defense, Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines mostly leaned on their powerful rushing attack and stingy defensive unit to win games.
So J.J. McCarthy can’t be blamed for that. He simply followed the blueprint the Wolverines outlined, and it led to Michigan winning a national championship last season.
Some analysts argue that McCarthy has more upside than what the game tape shows. He could be more than a game manager at the NFL level, but it’ll obviously depend on which team he lands with.
