J.J. McCarthy Scouting Report - 2024 NFL Draft

Footballguys Staff's J.J. McCarthy Scouting Report - 2024 NFL Draft Footballguys Staff Published 04/25/2024

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J.J. McCarthy Scouting Report - 2024 NFL Draft

J.J. McCarthy is our QB4 for the 2024 NFL Draft. In this J.J. McCarthy Scouting Report, we will provide you with film-based analysis, strengths, weaknesses, ideal scheme fit, player comparison, and a brief fantasy football rundown.

J.J. McCarthy Scouting Report

J.J. McCarthy finished his illustrious Michigan career with a final record of 27-1, two Big Ten titles, and a national championship. McCarthy was surrounded by NFL talent and often wasn't asked to put the team on his back, making his evaluation difficult. Still, Jim Harbaugh raves about McCarthy's intangibles, and he has massive upside at the NFL level. McCarthy is a perfect Shanahan/McVay-tree quarterback, as his ability to operate with timing and anticipation is some of the best in the class. When moved off his spot, he has a high rushing upside and the arm talent to make off-platform throws consistently. He displays high-level accuracy and ball placement, specifically to intermediate and short areas of the field. His rawness shows itself when he needs to throw with touch. He has a fastball and will need to develop some off-speed to be successful in the NFL. Additionally, his deep ball lacks juice at times. He can overstride, throwing his upper body out of rhythm and causing inaccuracies. Still, while McCarthy is a raw prospect, his upside is near the top of the class, and at just 20 years old, he's a bet worth making in dynasty.

Strengths in J.J. McCarthy Scouting Report

  • Consistently on time and throwing with anticipation.
  • Above-average athleticism and arm talent.
  • Outstanding accuracy and ball placement.

Weaknesses in J.J. McCarthy Scouting Report

  • One-speed thrower; tends to lack touch when it's necessary.
  • Can overstride, causing errant throws to the perimeter.
  • His deep ball leaves a little to be desired.

Ideal Scheme Fit

A Shanahan or McVay-tree scheme would be perfect, as McCarthy consistently delivers the ball on time and to the correct read.

2024 NFL Draft Round Projection

Round 1

NFL Player Comparison

Alex Smith

The Fantasy Football Rundown

J.J. McCarthy is a raw prospect, but he possesses elite upside due to his elite tools. He's a bet worth making in dynasty.

Scouting Report

Want to see this kind of breakdown for 150+ NFL Rookies? Download the Footballguys Rookie Guide here. Version 1.0 from before the Combine is completely free and jam-packed with the information you need for fantasy football success this year.

Here's McCarthy's' profile from the Rookie Guide:

jj mccarthy scouting report

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