Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy falls out of top 10 in new mock draft

Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy

Perhaps the hype surrounding Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy is all smoke and mirrors.

In his latest mock draft, Matt Miller of ESPN asked scouts to make the top 10 picks of the NFL Draft. None of them selected McCarthy.

“This was a chance to learn a lot about how evaluators truly see this class and how pressure to fill needs — especially at quarterback — influences what general managers will do,” wrote Miller. “However, it’s notable that none of our [scouts] drafted McCarthy, who is ranked No. 19 on my board but is also widely expected to be drafted in the top six.”

It’s worth noting that there were no trades in Miller’s mock since scouts were anonymous and couldn’t collaborate. QB-needy teams, such as the Denver Broncos (No. 12), Las Vegas Raiders (No. 13) and Minnesota Vikings (No. 11), may move up for the national champion.

Offering another opinion, ESPN’s Adam Schefter believes McCarthy won’t slide on draft day and could still be one of the first three players off the board.

The Commanders – who have the second overall pick – are showing interest in McCarthy. Per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, Washington hosted McCarthy and fellow quarterback prospects Drake Maye (North Carolina), Jayden Daniels (LSU) and Michael Penix Jr. (Washington) on Tuesday.

Regardless, it’s interesting none of the scouts took McCarthy. While his stock has soared during the draft process, his numbers in 2023 didn’t wow. In 15 games, he completed 72.3% of his passes for 22 TDs, four interceptions and a 167.4 passer rating.

Still, teams will take a risk if they don’t have an answer at the most important position. With that in mind, don’t be surprised if McCarthy is a top-10 pick.

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