Teammate does not hold back on J.J. McCarthy

J.J. McCarthy

The Minnesota Vikings selected former Michigan Wolverines star J.J. McCarthy with the No. 10 overall pick in the draft, and it sounds like he is already winning over some of his new teammates.

During an interview with Jim Rome this week, Minnesota Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman had some high praise for the rookie quarterback both physically and in the locker room.

“Yeah, 21 years old but a great young man,” Cashman said of McCarthy during the interview, according to Pro Football Talk. “He’s a leader. He is eager to learn. A lot of young guys, sometimes they can come in, be a little timid or shy. But he’s walking round the locker room, big smile on his face, shaking hands, getting to know everybody.

“I didn’t know much about his game before, and I knew he was an outstanding quarterback, winning followed him at Michigan. But I didn’t realize how much heat he could put on the ball. He’s got a great long ball. And even those tight windows, which close fast at the next level — he can zip the ball past a linebacker or safety’s head and squeeze it in those tight windows. And that’s very promising to see.”

While McCarthy may not be the starter for the Vikings immediately with Sam Darnold also competing for the role, it sounds like Cashman still expects McCarthy to be successful in the league.

“He’s going to be a great player for a long time,” Cashman said. “I can’t wait to continue to see his growth — not only his development as a quarterback [and] the skills, but also become an even smarter player.”

[Pro Football Talk]