One of the bigger wildcards entering the 2024 NFL Draft is former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy. And even ESPN NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller couldn’t entirely peg where McCarthy would get selected.
Joining the ESPN College GameDay podcast a few weeks prior to the draft, Miller discussed the range of potential outcomes for McCarthy. While it seems likely some team will move up into the Top 10 to take him if he gets out of the Top 3, Miller doesn’t think it’s a forgone conclusion that he’s available then.
“I think the biggest surprise will be where our guy J.J. McCarthy goes and I — I’ve heard all the narratives about, like we’ve talked about,” Miller said, “It feels like, in this industry, to raise one player another has to drop, which is unfortunate because I don’t think it actually works that way. But I wouldn’t be shocked if we’re sitting in Detroit and J.J. McCarthy is the second or third quarterback off the board.”
While most projections have the likes of Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye being the first three quarterbacks selected — and perhaps in that order in the Top 3 picks — Miller shared a specific reason why he thinks McCarthy could go as high as No. 2 to the Washington Commanders.
And it starts with some seeming interest in McCarthy from Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.
“I watched Kliff Kingsbury spend about 25 minutes with John Beck before J.J. McCarthy’s throwing session,” Miller said. “And you know a lot of times, let’s not read too much into things sometimes, but other times it is appropriate. And Kliff spending 25 minutes with the private quarterback coach of J.J. McCarthy, it felt notable. So I think it’s something, let’s see what happens. It’s been interesting to watch the J.J. McCarthy rise.”
And if McCarthy doesn’t go in the Top 3, as is generally expected at this point, a team to watch has become the Minnesota Vikings. That franchise has looked intent to move into the Top 5 to try and select a quarterback, likely McCarthy, for weeks.
But Miller also threw out a bit of a conspiratorial scenario that could be at play for the Los Angeles Chargers and new head coach Jim Harbaugh with the No. 5 overall pick.
“I also understand, and I’m going to speak out of both sides of my mouth here: This could be the greatest smoke screen effort ever, by Jim Harbaugh, to get four quarterbacks in the Top 4 so he that he can draft Marvin Harrison Jr. or Joe Alt at No. 5,” Miller said. “Maybe Jim is just pushing the best non-quarterbacks down to No. 5, right? But I think the big story, as we will be watching on Thursday night, will be J.J. McCarthy.”
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