Each NFL Draft, there’s all the time a wild card. This 12 months’s was J.J. McCarthy.
The Michigan quarterback and reigning nationwide champion shot up draft boards in current weeks, months after not even being thought-about a first-rounder to start the 2023 faculty season.
Even Jim Harbaugh, his faculty head coach, made the daring prediction McCarthy could be the primary quarterback taken off the board. However he wound up being the fifth.
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J.J. McCarthy of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates after defeating the Washington Huskies within the 2024 CFP nationwide championship sport at NRG Stadium Jan. 8, 2024, in Houston. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Photos)
After all of the rumors and hypothesis, McCarthy fell to the tenth decide and was chosen by the Minnesota Vikings, who moved up a spot to snag him.
The New York Jets initially held the choice. However as soon as Michael Penix Jr. was surprisingly chosen at No. 8 by the Atlanta Falcons, the Vikings apparently felt they could not wait any longer.
Minnesota despatched No. 11, a fourth-rounder and a fifth-rounder in alternate for No. 10 and 203.
In two seasons as Michigan’s full-time starter (29 video games), McCarthy accomplished 68.5% of his passes for five,710 yards, 44 touchdowns and 9 interceptions.
J.J. McCarthy of the Michigan Wolverines warms up earlier than a sport in opposition to the Purdue Boilermakers at Michigan Stadium Nov. 4, 2023, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Photos)
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Regardless of his title capturing up the rankings, there’s nonetheless doubt whether or not he can carry a crew. Even within the nationwide championship, McCarthy was 10-for-18 passing for 140 yards and 0 touchdowns within the 34-13 victory over Washington.
However, in possibly the most important drive of his profession throughout the Rose Bowl, a School Soccer Playoff semifinal, he delivered down seven to Alabama with lower than 5 minutes to go. McCarthy accomplished a 27-yard go on 4th and a couple of, then ran for 16 yards, discovered Roman Wilson for an additional 29, then threw a four-yard rating to Wilson that despatched the sport to time beyond regulation. Michigan, in fact, wound up successful.
QB J.J. McCarthy (9) of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates with the trophy after the Michigan Wolverines defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide in time beyond regulation of the CFP semifinal Rose Bowl Jan. 1, 2024. (Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos)
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Now, he finds himself in some pretty respectable firm. He’ll be throwing to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and, when he returns from a torn ACL, T.J. Hockenson.
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