Getty Mark Davis with Tom Brady.
The 2024 NFL Draft features an abundance of high-end quarterback talent but with the Las Vegas Raiders not picking until No. 13, they may need to trade up if they want to get one of the top prospects. A trade into the top three to get Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels could prove difficult.
Former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy has seen his stock increasing in recent weeks and even he might not be available at No. 13. In Dan Parr’s mock draft for NFL.com, he projects the Raiders to trade with the New York Jets to move up to No. 10 where they’ll draft McCarthy.
“You really think Michigan Man and soon-to-be Raiders minority owner Tom Brady is going to let McCarthy fall to the Vikings at No. 11 or the rival Broncos at No. 12? Not happening,” Parr wrote in a February 16 mock draft. “Vegas goes all in on the national title winner.”
Brady is on track to become a part owner of the Raiders and he could be approved by the NFL in March before the draft. It remains to be seen what level of pull he’ll have within the organization but the team drafting McCarthy could mean he has a certain level of say.
There Are Concerns About J.J. McCarthy
J.J. McCarthy is a boom-or-bust prospect. He has the athletic tools to be very good. He’s got a strong arm and can make plays with his leg. The concern with him is that he never had to do much at Michigan.
He threw 22 touchdowns in each of the last two seasons and never passed for more than 3,000 yards. According to Sports Illustrated, the biggest concerns with the quarterback involve size and lack of examples of him ever carrying a team.
“Bottom line, McCarthy just doesn’t have enough of that on his résumé, which brings fair questions,” Breer wrote in a February 14 column. “For example, consider Mac Jones vs. Brock Purdy. Jones didn’t have to be the guy at Alabama. Purdy did at Iowa State. Who seems more comfortable leading a team in the NFL?
“The second thing is McCarthy’s frame. I had one scout tell me he’s built like a stretched-out Bryce Young—and it’s not like he’s that much taller than Young, at about 6’2″. Yes, he’s only 21. But looking at him physically, teams have concerns about how much bigger he’ll get. In fact, one AFC college scouting director said to me last month, ‘I get taken aback seeing him in person because he’s so slight.'”
McCarthy is listed at 197 pounds while Young was listed at 194 pounds in college. The latter had a disappointing rookie season so that could scare teams off of drafting smaller quarterbacks like McCarthy.
Just noting on JJ McCarthy’s release (not saying he’s worth a top 10 pick). Very little wasted movement, hips fire first, extremely quick and consistent. Looks like the hands separate a little quick but front shoulder stays closed.
Is J.J. McCarthy the Right QB to Build Around?
The Raiders need a long-term option. The fact that J.J. McCarthy is very athletically gifted and is only 21 makes him intriguing. There’s a lot of room to grow. However, McCarthy is likely going to take a few years to develop.
The Raiders need a quarterback now and players like Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix are older and have played a lot more football. Unless Las Vegas thinks that McCarthy can develop into a big-time quarterback, they may be better off drafting a more experienced option.