Where will J.J. McCarthy be drafted? Vikings, Broncos lead list of 2024 NFL Draft landing spots
Few players, if any, will have a more profound impact on how the 2024 NFL Draft shakes out than J.J. McCarthy.
The former Michigan quarterback, who last season helped pilot the Wolverines to their first national championship since 1997 and first outright championship since 1948, has many of the makings of a future NFL signal-caller, from his physical frame to his athleticism to his decision-making.
His future at the next level is so promising that McCarthy opted for forgo his final season of remaining eligibility and enter the draft, where he has consistently been ranked among the top quarterbacks available for teams to select.
REQUIRED READING: J.J. McCarthy NFL mock draft: Michigan QB projected to Giants at No. 4 after New York trade
While some picks seem more settled, such as USC quarterback and 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams going No. 1 overall to the Chicago Bears, McCarthy’s position on the ultimate draft board is more uncertain, though something more closely resembling a consensus seems to be building as the draft inches closer.
With the draft beginning Thursday night in Detroit, here’s a look at where McCarthy is projected to continue his football career:
Where will Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy go in the 2024 NFL Draft?
Shortly after Michigan defeated Washington 34-13 in the College Football Playoff championship game and McCarthy’s professional prospects became a source of frequent discussion, he was viewed by many as a mid-first round pick.
Since then, his stock had continued to rise. Virtually every mock draft from major outlets has him going among the draft’s first five picks, due in part to the anticipated willingness of quarterback-needy teams trading up to secure his services.
Here’s a look at where various mock drafts have McCarthy pegged to go:
USA TODAY: New England Patriots, first round, No. 3 overall pick
Might the Patriots' potential decision between McCarthy — who is being hosted by New England on Monday, according to multiple reports — and Drake Maye be the inflection point of the entire first round? New coach Jerod Mayo has raved about the latter signal-caller, but McCarthy's continued ascent — both as a player and prospect — could take him all the way to the top three. No matter the pick, however, New England might not want to throw its rookie quarterback into the fray right away unless it can significantly upgrade its skill-position talent later in the draft.
CBS Sports: Vikings (via trade with Chargers), first round, No. 5 overall pick
The Vikings got an extra Day 1 pick to make this exact move. McCarthy is much higher on team boards than he is in the media. He crushed his combine and pre-draft interviews, and Kevin O'Connell will love having a smart winner as his signal-caller.
The Athletic: Vikings (via trade with Cardinals), first round, No. 4 overall pick
It is no secret that the Vikings are quarterback shopping in the NFL Draft, but how high can they trade up to secure their guy? In this scenario, Minnesota jumps to No. 4 for McCarthy, which would mark the first time in NFL Draft history we see quarterbacks drafted 1-2-3-4 overall.
NFL Network's Peter Schrager: New York Giants (via trade with Cardinals), first round, No. 4 overall pick
New York moves up two spots — tossing Arizona this year's third-round pick (No. 70 overall) and next year's second-rounder — to land McCarthy. This is merely a mock draft, but I could see this deal coming to fruition. Joe Schoen didn't draft Daniel Jones, J.J. checks a lot of boxes, and Big Blue can get out of Jones' contract after this upcoming season. I assume that this projection could make headlines in New York. That's fine. I know the Giants have been going through all of the quarterback prospects diligently, as they should be.
NFL Network's Dan Parr: Minnesota Vikings (via trade with Chargers), first round, No. 5 overall pick
It looks like McCarthy is nearly a lock to go somewhere between picks 3 and 11. The Vikings could sit back and wait for him at No. 11, but that seems like a huge risk to take if they want to get one of the top four quarterbacks off the board. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah packages his two first-rounders to go get the national title winner, who lands in the perfect place.
Pro Football Focus: Vikings (via trade with Chargers), first round, No. 5 overall pick
It’s no secret the Vikings are looking to trade up for a quarterback after the Vikings moved up from 42 to 23 a month ago. There are other teams that would also be looking to trade up, but the Vikings have the most ammunition so they are most likely to strike a deal. McCarthy is the top quarterback available at this point, and is a pretty common pairing with the Vikings in mock drafts.
ESPN's Mel Kiper and Field Yates have McCarthy going No. 5 to the Vikings, whereas Matt Miller has him going No. 4 to the Broncos. All come by way of a trade up for Minnesota:
ESPN’s Mel Kiper: Minnesota Vikings (via trade with Los Angeles Chargers), first round, No. 5 overall pick
ESPN’s Field Yates: Vikings (via trade with Chargers), first round, No. 5 overall pick
ESPN’s Matt Miller: Denver Broncos (via trade with Arizona Cardinals) first round, No. 4 overall pick
REQUIRED READING: Michigan football's spring game: Top five storylines to watch as Sherrone Moore era begins
J.J. McCarthy scouting report
McCarthy finished his final year at Michigan with an impressive 22-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio, including three touchdowns in the Rose Bowl semifinal vs. an Alabama secondary that features potential first-round picks in Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold. That highlights McCarthy's efficiency without committing unnecessary turnovers, a trait he showe throughout his career with a career 49-11 TD-INT ratio.
McCarthy's draft stock has only risen since the end of his college career, making him a virtual lock to fall no further than No. 11 overall to the Vikings — if they let him get that far.
J.J. McCarthy’s best 2024 NFL Draft fit
While Williams, LSU’s Jayden Daniels and North Carolina’s Drake Maye have been widely considered to be the top three picks in the NFL draft, it could ultimately be beneficial for McCarthy to be behind that trio.
Instead of going to teams with a number of glaring holes like the Bears, Washington Commanders or Patriots, McCarthy’s most commonly projected destination represents his best fit — the Vikings.
Minnesota has many pieces in place that would be conducive to the success of a young quarterback. It has a strong offensive line. He’d have one of the best group of receivers in the league, headlined by Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. And he’d have an offensive-minded head coach in Kevin O’Connell, who has a robust track record with developing quarterbacks and who notably played the position at the NFL level himself.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Who will draft J.J. McCarthy? Landing spots, best fit for 2024 NFL Draft
