JJ McCarthy draws surprising comparison to 1 NFL quarterback

Dec 4, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Conference championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Perhaps there is reason to believe that Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy could have a lot more fans among NFL teams than previously thought.

In an appearance on “The Matt Barrie Show,” ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller said scouts and executives are very intrigued by McCarthy. Miller added that one scout had even said McCarthy would draw comparisons to Joe Burrow had Michigan had to pass more.

“All the tools are there. They’re just kind of waiting to come out,” Miller said of McCarthy. “I’ve talked to so many scouts, one in particular, who said JJ McCarthy would be Joe Burrow if he were on a team that threw the ball. There is a lot of love for JJ McCarthy among the scouting community. He’s tough as hell, he’s got a big arm, he’s a very good athlete, and he’s coachable. That’s something that comes up all the time.”

Michigan’s power run game meant they did not need to lean on McCarthy as much in 2023. He threw 22 touchdown passes and racked up 2,991 yards last season, but did so with a comparatively modest 332 attempts. However, he was a highly-touted recruit, and the physical skills are certainly there.

McCarthy’s college coach made a pretty wild prediction about the quarterback’s NFL Draft stock. That may still be a bit excessive, but it may not be as far out of step with league opinion as one might have previously thought.