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Fans of the Denver Broncos may want to keep a close eye on Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
According to Broncos insider Benjamin Allbright, McCarthy and Oregon’s Bo Nix fit the mold of what head coach Sean Payton is looking for in a signal-caller.
“I think McCarthy and Nix both fit what Sean Payton looks for. McCarthy is a lot younger and probably needs to sit a year,” Allbright wrote on X in response to a fan asking which QBs Denver could be monitoring closely in the upcoming NFL draft.
McCarthy has yet to declare. His decision could very well coincide with whether or not Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh leaves. A two-year starter for the Wolverines, Allbright noted that should McCarthy opt to leave Michigan and enter the draft, the young QB would likely sit and learn behind a veteran “bridge” quarterback such as Jimmy Garoppolo.
Michigan Coach Jim Harbaugh Recently Gave J.J. McCarthy His Flowers
After McCarthy led Michigan to a thrilling 27-20 overtime win over the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl, Harbaugh took the time to praise his QB.
“I’ve said it before, but right here, this is the greatest quarterback in University of Michigan — college football history,” Harbaugh said about McCarthy, via Sports Illustrated.
“In overtime against Alabama, I think the last quarterback to win in overtime against Alabama was none other than Tom Brady,” Harbaugh added, before noting McCarthy has “got a long way to go to get to get where Tom Brady eventually got to, which is the GOAT. … But in a college career there’s been nobody at Michigan better than J.J. I know we talk about it an amalgamation of quarterbacks. He is that guy.”
Would J.J. McCarthy Be a Good Fit With Sean Payton & the Denver Broncos?
With veteran quarterback Russell Wilson on the way out after the season, there’s no question Denver will be looking for a new offensive leader.
McCarthy, who is as selfless as it gets, is a hard worker who operates well within the confines of the offense he’s been given. That sounds quite a bit like what Payton wants.
“From the day Payton was hired, his aim at quarterback was to achieve what he enjoyed for 15 years with Drew Brees,” NFL insider Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports wrote on December 28. “Namely, recreate a quarterback who knew the multitude of layers in his offense and who could recite them with speed and detail from the first page to the last. And most important, step out on gameday and operate every nuance of the scheme with the precision of the Vienna Philharmonic.”
According to Robinson, Payton wants a QB “who has the ability to know his offense on a molecular level — calls, checks, route concepts, blocking, schedule, construction of the plan, etc. — then the focus to carry it all out with the repetitive efficiency of a Xerox machine.”
In 2023, his second season as a starter, McCarthy has completed an impressive 73.2% of his passes for 2,851 yards, 22 touchdowns and four interceptions (stats updated to include McCarthy’s performance against Alabama in the Rose Bowl).
It’s all moot until McCarthy makes a decision about the draft, but if he declares, it’s safe to say he’ll garner some serious interest.
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