J.J. McCarthy Draft Floor Seemingly Set And It Could Be In the First Round

The scramble for J.J. McCarthy is apparently on. 

Crazy, right? A few weeks ago, McCarthy was seemingly the No. 4, 5 or 6 quarterback in a class of NFL prospects of which only three were believed likely to be selected in the first round of the April draft.

So Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels were at the top of the draft class. And McCarthy, Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix were vying for a spot just behind them.

Then teams started a closer scrutiny on prospects in preparation for last week's scouting combine in Indianapolis. And at the combine, McCarthy impressed multiple teams with his interviews. And he showed surprising (to some) velocity on his passes during his on-field workout Saturday.

Jim Harbaugh names J.J. McCarthy Michigan's starting QB. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

McCarthy Floor In Middle Of First Round

Now McCarthy has gained momentum as first-round pick.

A handful of NFL personnel people willing to share opinions in exchange for anonymity told OutKick that McCarthy's floor is not only in the first round but in the middle of the round.

So, much higher than anyone might have imagined.

Think No. 11 to the Vikings. Or No. 12 to the Broncos. Or No. 13 to the Raiders.

One NFL personnel man thinks the Broncos are McCarthy's floor.

"Everybody knows Sean Payton really likes the kid," he said. "I don't know if that's love because I wasn't in their meeting. But the rumors about Payton and McCarthy were rampant in Indy. Maybe it's smoke, but I don't think so."

Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins passes vs. the Kansas City Chiefs at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. (Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports)

(Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports)

Cousins Departure May Open Vikings Door

McCarthy met formally with the Vikings, Broncos and Raiders. And that makes sense because all three teams have exigent quarterback needs.

The Vikings, at No. 11, have stated they'd like Kirk Cousins back but he will indeed hit free agency to test the market. If he finds his asking price with another team such as the Falcons, Cousins will hit the proverbial trail. If the market for Cousins is close to what the Vikings were discussing in their contract talks, he might return to Minnesota.

And if the situation leads to Cousins leaving, the Vikings will be hunting for quarterback help – either in free agency or the draft, or both.

"It went amazing," McCarthy said of his formal meeting with the Vikings. "Coach [Kevin] O'Connell led the whole thing and just being able to see him in person he was a lot taller than I thought. And coach [Josh] McCown and just everything about what they were talking about, everything about what they want out of a quarterback is something that aligns with what I want.

"Just being able to get on the board with them, have them go through their plays, it was something really special and I enjoyed it."

Is Sean Payton Embracing McCarthy?

McCarthy spent a lot of time talking schemes and plays in his team meetings. The Broncos showed him tape of himself and asked pointed questions about his game.

"It was just really great to be in that room with them and go through tape," McCarthy said. "It was honestly a really fun time. So it was a blessing to just, you know, pick their brains a little bit and have them just shoot me questions left and right. I really enjoyed it."

The Broncos are in the quarterback market because they are releasing Russell Wilson. The marriage between Payton and Wilson wasn't rocky but it simply wasn't right.  

Now Payton wants a quarterback he loves. And although he didn't necessarily love Wilson, for whatever reason, perhaps forging such a relationship with McCarthy could be another reason the Broncos are excited about him.

"Fellow Illinois guy," McCarthy, who had obviously done his homework, said about the Broncos coach. "Absolutely would be an honor to play for him. Everything about this process has been so great, and any team who selects me, it'd be an honor."

Dec 25, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Las Vegas Raiders interim head coach Antonio Pierce on field against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Raiders Looking At Multiple QB Avenues

The Raiders, picking No. 13 overall, have been rumored to be interested in perhaps landing Wilson. Or Justin Fields. Or someone further along in their development to match with a team that has a veteran roster.

But the Raiders are not dismissing the idea of finding a quarterback prospect who comes with potential.  

"It went really well," McCarthy said of the meeting with Las Vegas. "You know, loved all the coaches, they just have great energy, great questions, great interaction. It would mean a lot to play with those guys, but it would mean a lot to play with any one of the great players in the NFL, but it was awesome."

McCarthy is highly regarded for his leadership and experience, having won 27 games for the Wolverines. His leadership is not in question, either.

But McCarthy showed surprising athletic ability at the combine. When he threw, NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said the ball "jumped off his hand," meaning he had velocity on the ball.

And, sure enough, in testing for that velocity, McCarthy had the second-hardest throw of any quarterback who tested at 61 mph. He trailed only Tennessee's Joe Milton in that metric. 

J.J. McCarthy, head coach Jim Harbaugh, and Blake Corum of the Michigan Wolverines celebrate after beating the Alabama Crimson Tide.  (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

McCarthy Most Interested In Wins

As to McCarthy's maturity, it showed well throughout the week, according to personnel people. And everyone saw a glimpse of it during his interview with reporters. That's when McCarthy was asked about not putting up gaudy statistics despite leading the Big 10 in completion percentage and passing efficiency rating last year.

McCarthy was more interested in talking about something more important.

"I want them to actually understand that I truly love the game of football, I truly love my teammates," he said, "and want to do nothing but win football games."