In the aftermath of the NFL Scouting Combine, buzz appears to be building for J.J. McCarthy.
Not everyone, however, is in love with the Michigan quarterback.
Appearing of the Ross Tucker Football Podcast, NFL Films’ Greg Cosell discussed what he has seen while evaluating McCarthy ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft. And the longtime NFL analyst admitted that he isn’t as impressed with the national champion signal-caller as some of his colleagues appear to be.
“I would view McCarthy more as a developmental prospect,” Cosell said. “I think he’s got some clear concerns. I think that playing at Michigan and playing their style of offense, he was an efficient system player. I don’t think he has any special throwing ability. He does have good athleticism, he certainly can play extend. I don’t know if he’s a play creator. He can extend. And he can run for a first down, no question.
“I think that there will be legitimate questions about his ability to function effectively in muddied and noisy pockets with bodies around him. He did not really show on tape the type of pocket movement you’d like to see to navigate and reset. He’s not an off-platform thrower. I don’t think his arm is real strong. I think that at times, he labored to drive the ball. The ball does not really jump off his hand. To me, I personally, just based on film, I did not see him as a first-round-type player in terms of just traits and talent.”
“I would view J.J. McCarthy more as a developmental prospect…I did not see him as a first round type player in terms of traits and talent.”@GregCosell calling it the way he sees it as always on the @RossTuckerPod: pic.twitter.com/hGISR8615H
— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) March 7, 2024
McCarthy’s lack of physical traits is certainly notable and likely one of the biggest reasons why he has trailed USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels for most draft analysts. Conversely, it’s easy to imagine NFL teams falling in love with the 2023 Big Ten Quarterback of the Year’s leadership and there is no question his track record as a winner, as he led the Wolverines to a 15-0 and their first national championship since 1997.
How teams measure McCarthy’s status as a winner against his physical skills will be worth monitoring. It will be interesting to see if he’s selected in the first round as most expect, or if the league’s evaluations fall more in line with Cosell’s.
