Getty The JJ McCarthy NFL draft scouting report figures to be a hot topic for Michigan football.
Even in what might be the final game of the year, the JJ McCarthy NFL draft scouting report is very much an unfinished work, even if he is considered a first-round NFL prospect. It has been an odd season for the Michigan quarterback, which is fitting since it has been a generally odd season for Michigan football altogether. A hot start from McCarthy was clouded by the Wolverines’ sign-stealing scandal, and he was not nearly as sharp in the closing weeks of the season. But, then again, he faced some of the toughest defenses in the nation in the final weeks of Michigan’s season.
For analyst Kirk Herbstreit, the question of JJ McCarthy NFL draft stock has too many holes.
“I think he’s still a quarterback that could benefit from another year college football. He may be an NFL first-rounder if he leaves but it’s not about being a first-rounder to me at that position,” Herbstreit said, per the blog Maize and Brew. “If you look at the quarterbacks that have recently gone into the NFL and done pretty well pretty quickly, I always look at reps.
“When I’m doing these NFL games on Thursday when I look at a quarterback, especially a young guy — how many years did he play? How many reps did he get as a passer, and as a starter? I think JJ, has been through so much, but I think another year allows him to be almost a turnkey quarterback you got ready.”
JJ McCarthy NFL Draft Scouting Report: Incomplete
McCarthy was brilliant through the first nine games of the season for Michigan football, throwing for 18 touchdowns and just three interceptions (all of which came in the win over Bowling Green). He threw for 237 yards per game in those nine outings. But check the numbers since: 124 yards per game, and just one touchdown pass. He has not been the same.
ESPN analyst Mel Kiper agreed with Herbstreit on his JJ McCarthy NFL draft scouting report. Kiper said there is just too much that is unknown about McCarthy.
“[An intriguing wild card at quarterback is] Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, who has been one of the most difficult evaluations of this entire class,” Kiper said. “He has the tools to be in the mix for that No. 3 QB spot, but he just didn’t convince me down the stretch. Where were the “wow” throws? I didn’t see him go through progressions much. Sure, he only had four interceptions, but three of those came against … Bowling Green?
“Plus, he wasn’t asked to beat teams with his arm, partly because the Wolverines blew out all of their opponents until November. It’s clear McCarthy has a ton of talent, but not all NFL teams are going to be in love with him, which means he could drop to Day 2. I have him as my No. 7 QB right now.”
Michigan Football Hiding McCarthy Talents?
But one scout said that the problem with any JJ McCarthy-NFL draft scouting report look is that it’s likely to be incomplete. He just has not thrown all that many passes in a conservative UM offense.
That should change, though, if McCarthy throws his name into the NFL draft pile. Closer investigation of McCarthy will reveal his talent. It would be a blow for Michigan football, of course, but landing in the first round would give McCarthy greater leeway in the NFL.
”I think a lot of people haven’t done a deep dive on McCarthy yet,” said a scout who covers the Michigan area, via ESPN. “But when they do, he’s going to rise. He would dominate an event like the Senior Bowl.”
“To me, he’s an athletic Kirk Cousins,” said the Michigan region scout.