Tis the season.
Well, maybe not quite yet. Pump the brakes on hanging Christmas lights, prepping for snow and watching reruns of random holiday movies like The Year without a Santa Claus.
Thanksgiving is here, and we all need to give a little thanks for the things we have in our life, especially during a rough year like 2020.
Yes, I know… from a recruiting standpoint, there doesn’t seem like much to be thankful for on the surface. Official visits were cancelled, seasons were delayed or postponed all together, All-American games are a no go and we’re living in a never-ending dead period.
But better days are ahead, especially for Michigan, which isn’t exactly having an ideal year either. If you ask the 2021 U-M commits, there is one man they can all rally around and be thankful to have as a future teammate — you guessed it, Rivals100 quarterback JJ McCarthy.
Ranked as the No. 30 overall prospect in the country this cycle, McCarthy has been the face of the 2021 Michigan recruiting class since he gave the Wolverines a verbal commitment back in May of last year.
McCarthy bleeds maize and blue and commands respect from everyone around him.
“I think he is not only the leader, but he’s also the glue,” said Michigan specialist commit Tommy Doman. “He can be that leader that can speak for all of us or help guide us, but he can also be right there with us. It was really cool to see his football IQ.
“With him being at IMG where it’s football bootcamp every day, you learn so much — not just about playing football but situational football and little things about the game that can help each one of us. I think he’s a great guy. I’m really excited that he’s our quarterback.”
Former Super Bowl champion Trent Dilfer described McCarthy as a top-level talent that always plays with his hair on fire after spending several days with him at the Elite 11 finals over the summer.
You could say McCarthy has a little Heat Miser to his game — alright, alright, I couldn’t resist.
The bottom line is McCarthy has had one of the most illustrious high school careers of any Michigan quarterback in recent memory. In two years at Nazareth Academy in the Chicago-area, McCarthy passed for 6,268 yards and 73 touchdowns en route to leading his team to two state title appearances, including one win.
With the ongoing global pandemic, McCarthy embraced a new challenge this season. He moved down to the Sunshine State and captained national powerhouse Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy to an undefeated season and a No. 1 overall ranking, per MaxPreps, while showing off his special arm and playmaking ability against the absolute best competition nationally.
One of IMG’s biggest games of the year came against Brentwood (Tenn.) Ravenwood. The highly anticipated clash, which was broadcast live on ESPN, saw McCarthy go head-to-head against fellow Michigan commit and Rivals100 linebacker Junior Colson.
While Colson made his fair share of plays, McCarthy was electric with his legs, even juking Colson in the red zone, and made key throws as IMG pulled away in the second half for a win. And it’s fair to say McCarthy earned Colson’s respect.
“He means a lot to the class,” Colson said. “He was a big part of my recruitment. He texted me a lot throughout my recruiting process. As a player, his game speaks for itself. Most of the time, he is the best player on the field. Having him as one of the vocal leaders, I can see us going far.”
Rivals250 Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro defensive lineman and Michigan pledge Quintin Somerville may be the most familiar with McCarthy’s talent and work ethic.
After all, McCarthy has family in Arizona and spent the summer flying back and forth from Chicago to Phoenix, where he worked with quarterback guru Mike Giovando. It was there where the two linked up for a few workouts, and Somerville gained a greater appreciation for his future signal-caller.
“JJ is huge for this class as quarterback is one of the question marks for the team right now,” Somerville said. “And as a person, he is one of the coolest players I have met throughout the process. His energy during our workout was unmatched, and I can tell he brings that with him wherever he goes.”
Of course, having a high-end prospect at the quarterback can often attract elite skill players.
This cycle, the Wolverines hold commitments from Rivals100 wide receiver Xavier Worthy, Rivals250 wide receiver Cristian Dixon and Rivals100 tight end Louis Hansen. And all can’t wait to catch passes from McCarthy.
“JJ’s the man,” Hansen said. “Having a quarterback of his level definitely draws recruits towards him. But within our commitment group, he’s definitely established himself as a leader. It’s great to see your future quarterback showing those traits. You can really see it on social media, too. He’s huge on a championship mentality, which, as a class, we are trying to help build on in Ann Arbor.”
Added Dixon:
“I think JJ is a huge part of the class because he’s a true leader, and that is always needed. I’m very excited to play with him because he’s a true baller.”
Michigan commits are all too aware of McCarthy’s accolades. But, as has been a theme in quotes throughout this story, his leadership, character and drive are what makes him truly special in their eyes.
“He’s obviously a special player,” said Michigan linebacker commit and fellow Chicagoland native Tyler McLaurin. “You can see that from the stat line, but what a lot of people don’t see about him is his personality. JJ is just a down to earth type guy that you can kick it with. He isn’t really anxious around people or really shy and scared to speak up. He’s cool, calm and collective with his thoughts.
“He’s definitely an important piece to our class and not because of his rankings or because he’s the quarterback of our class. He’s important because he’s the type of player that a defensive guy like myself can trust to control and handle the offense.”
Perhaps the most impressive job McCarthy has done from a leadership standpoint on the recruiting trail is garner the admiration from the people that will matter the most to his health and overall success in Ann Arbor — his offensive line.
McCarthy played with Rivals250 offensive lineman Greg Crippen at IMG this season and spent time with four-star prospects Tristan Bounds, Raheem Anderson and Giovanni El-Hadi during the big visit weekend earlier this month.
“He’s everything you look for in a quarterback off the field,” Bounds said. “The dude is a great leader. In the little time being around him, he’s super charismatic. I’m super excited to play with that guy and have him at the helm of the offense.”
Anderson shared similar sentiments.
“I love JJ. He is good person and player. He brings energy to the room and from what I’ve seen, he brings it to the field as well. I can’t wait to be with him in Ann Arbor.”
El-Hadi added:
“He’s a big part of this class — from his loyalty to his commitment to recruiting. JJ is a great guy that has a motor that I haven’t seen anyone else have but me, and I respect him for that.”
So as you gear up for Michigan’s big clash with Penn State this weekend in a battle of two teams fighting to get back on track, just remember that McCarthy is on his way to Ann Arbor with respect from everyone around him, a chip on his shoulder and an enthusiasm unknown to mankind.
Soon, you’ll be thankful for him, too.
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