Vikings draft J.J. McCarthy: How he fits, pick grade and scouting intel (2024)

J.J. McCarthy started 2024 by winning a national championship in January and is now a first-round pick in April.

After trading up a spot with the New York Jets, the Minnesota Vikingsselected the former Michigan quarterback with the No. 10pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The 6-foot-2, 219-pound quarterback guided the Wolverines to an undefeated 2023 season, which they capped off by beating Washington for the national championship. Michigan went 27-1 with McCarthy under center the past two seasons.

McCarthy is only the second Michigan quarterback taken in the first round of the NFL Draft. McCarthy’s former coach, Jim Harbaugh, was the first when the Chicago Bears took him at No. 26 in 1987.

NFL Draft 2024 tracker:Live blog, pick-by-pick grades and analysis
Big board best available:Who’s left from Dane Brugler’s Top 300?
Draft pick grades:Nick Baumgardner, Scott Dochterman rate the selections
Full draft order:Team picks for all 257 selections
“The Athletic Football Show”:Watch live reaction to the draft

‘The Beast’ breakdown

McCarthy ranked No. 21 in Dane Brugler’s top 300 big board. Here’s what Brugler had to say about him in his annual NFL Draft guide:

“McCarthy’s evaluation feels incomplete, which creates even more projection than normal, but his passing skills, pocket athleticism and mental makeup are all ascending and create optimism for his NFL future. Although bumps along the way should be expected, he has the package of tools to become an NFL starter early in his career.”

Live on The Athletic Football Show's draft show, @DPBrugler reacts to the Vikings drafting J.J. McCarthy at No. 10 overall.https://t.co/cHhKHwelvy pic.twitter.com/DK51SaKqlO

— The Athletic NFL (@TheAthleticNFL) April 26, 2024

Coach/scout intel

An anonymous coach had this to say about McCarthy in Bruce Feldman’s mock draft:

“I think too many people are getting caught up trying to look at box scores instead of watching film. He makes a lot of plays for them after the play breaks down. There’s some ‘wow’ stuff in there. He’s on a dead sprint, and he makes some perfect throws. When he has to get out and make a play, he can really do it.”

“He does have talent,” another NFL offensive assistant coach told Feldman in his draft confidential. “People like his personality. He’s a lot like (North Carolina’s Drake) Maye. I think there’s a long way to go for him. On tape, he overstrides a lot. Everything is a flat, hard rocket shot. You have to throw over guys and around guys and take something off. I do think he can do that, but I don’t think it’s his default. And when something is not your default, you’ve really got to work on it to iron it in.”

“The most impressive thing he does is throw on the run,” an anonymous scout told Feldman. There is some good stuff on his tape, but it’s not like he was asked to make the throws (Washington’s Michael) Penix was making. I like him a lot, but I think he’s one of those (where) you don’t want to have to rely on him this year.”

Why he’s a first-round pick

McCarthy’s numbers might not be as prolific as some of the quarterbacks in this class. But NFL teams describe him as a “winner” and love the way he is wired (Harbaugh calls him the “Ice Man” for the way he stays cool under pressure). McCarthy threw for 2,991 yards with 22 touchdowns and four interceptions last season. His 2022 numbers are similar with 2,719 yards, 22 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Fact: J.J. McCarthy makes so many things happen with his legs.

We're reliving 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 of the @NFL prospect's outside-the-pocket highlights. 🎯@jjmccarthy09 x @UMichFootball pic.twitter.com/ZmhDc6rExY

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) March 25, 2024

Nick Baumgardner grades the pick

What an offseason for the Vikings. Minnesota, which made pre-draft moves to gain the ammo necessary to make this move, jumps up to snag its next franchise quarterback just months after losing its last one. Goodbye Kirk Cousins, hello J.J. McCarthy.

McCarthy’s skill set has had NFL evaluators on alert for three years, though his work inside Michigan’s run-heavy offense made it difficult to project what he’ll be immediately in the NFL. A very tough, aggressive passer in the mold of his former coach (Jim Harbaugh), McCarthy’s an unquestioned winner: 63-3 since high school. He may need to learn behind Sam Darnold for a minute, but I love his long-term fit with coach Kevin O’Connell and think he could be more ready than some believe.

Grade: A

Mike Sando’s assessment

The Vikings acquired the 23rd pick in the draft to make sure they had sufficient ammo to trade up for a quarterback. But they didn’t need to trade that pick to secure one. We do not know for sure which quarterback they wanted the most — if they are settling for McCarthy or what — but we know they were able to draft a quarterback without parlaying that 23rd pick into a move up from 11. Instead, they give up the equivalent of a fourth-round pick to move up one spot from 11, landing McCarthy at 10.

How he fits

The Vikings found their quarterback of the future. Once Kirk Cousins departed in free agency, signing with the Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota set its sights on finding a young player O’Connell believed in and could groom. McCarthy is that guy.

The Vikings are planning to take a methodical approach to his development. That’s why they signed Sam Darnold for $10 million. How long McCarthy needs to sit and learn is likely dependent both on his training camp performance and Darnold’s overall command.

Rookie impact

Fan expectations are likely to differ from the team’s expectations. If Darnold struggles and goes multiple games with numerous interceptions, the noise to toss the young quarterback into the fire will get loud. Then it’s a matter of Vikings ownership’s willingness to trust the coaching staff, and the coaching staff’s evaluation of how close McCarthy might be to being able to contribute. This will likely hinge on the speed at which McCarthy learns O’Connell’s offense, and the potential mechanical adjustments required (in terms of his throwing motion and footwork).

Depth-chart impact

The Vikings’ depth chart was always set up to add a young quarterback. Darnold and Nick Mullens are likely fixtures, while Jaren Hall will be entering his second season as a developmental option. The Vikings would not have signed Darnold if they did not expect him to play, but ultimately McCarthy will ascend to the starter’s spot this year or next.

They also could have picked …

All indications are that the Vikings contacted the New England Patriots about the No. 3 pick. Drake Maye had been a favorite in the Vikings building for months, potentially dating back all the way to last year. Minnesota might have also poked around for that spot had the Washington Commanders selected Maye, and instead gone after Jayden Daniels. The Vikings also might have been willing to select Michael Penix Jr., but they ended up with McCarthy and were able to snag him without giving up much additional draft capital.

Fast evaluation

The Vikings found their future quarterback. They did not have to settle for the fifth- or sixth-best option. And they got a young, productive, winning player. McCarthy went 36-2 in high school and 27-1 in college at Michigan. He is a former hockey prodigy who possesses functional athleticism and a strong arm. Plug him into an infrastructure full of talented skill players and with a highly regarded coaching staff, and the platform for development is positive.

(Photo: Harry How / Getty Images)