J.J. McCarthy selected No. 10 overall by Minnesota Vikings
Former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy has been selected by the Minnesota Vikings with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. After three seasons at Michigan, McCarthy will now head to the Vikings, where he will look to have similar success.
In McCarthy's three seasons at Michigan, the Wolverines never lost to Ohio State, won three Big Ten Championships and made an appearance in the College Football Playoff each season, with the most recent trip resulting in a national championship.
McCarthy will go down as arguably the best quarterback in program history. Notably, he went 27-1 in games he started in during his college career.
In 2021, he was largely a backup behind starter Cade McNamara. McCarthy threw for 516 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions during his freshman campaign. He also ran for two scores for a total of seven touchdowns.
Heading into 2022, there was a fierce quarterback competition between McCarthy and McNamara, which ultimately ended with McCarthy winning the starting job. The sophomore quarterback led the Wolverines to an undefeated regular season and a second consecutive Big Ten Championship, but the season ended prematurely in the College Football Playoff Semifinal against TCU.
In 2023, McCarthy led the Wolverines to a perfect 15-0 national championship-winning season. He threw for 2,991 yards, 22 touchdowns and four interceptions en route to Michigan's first national title since 1997.
Michigan's offense didn't rely heavily on McCarthy and his passing abilities — rather, it was the rushing attack that carried the load — which gives scouts and analysts some hesitancy when it comes to the quarterback's future in the league.
"McCarthy has first-round arm talent and can beat defenses with his legs too," ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. wrote in his pre-draft analysis. "He ranked third in the country in Total QBR (89.2) and completion percentage (72.3%) in 2023. Since he took over as the Wolverines' starter in 2022, he threw 44 touchdown passes and nine interceptions. Five of those INTs have come in two games, however; he threw three against Bowling Green earlier in 2023, and he had two pick-sixes in the College Football Playoff semifinal loss to TCU in 2022. Outside of those two games, he has managed games effectively and made great decisions with the football."
"Sure, McCarthy averaged just 22.1 pass attempts per game in 2023 and only needed to complete 10 passes in the national title game, but his upside is immense."
With the first-round selection, McCarthy becomes Michigan's first skill position player drafted in the first round since Braylon Edwards in 2004, and the first Michigan quarterback selected in the first round since Jim Harbaugh in 1987.
McCarthy will now head to Minnesota, where he will play for head coach Kevin O'Connell in the NFC North. The Vikings feature a plethora of offensive weapons with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Aaron Jones and T.J. Hockenson.
The former Michigan quarterback will be set up to immediately make an impact in the NFC in his rookie season.
Michigan is looking to break Georgia's record for most players chosen in a draft in NFL history with 15, which was set in 2022. The Wolverines had 18 players invited to the NFL Scouting Combine.
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