"J.J. McCarthy could overtake Drake Maye": NFL draft expert Mel Kiper unveils bold forecast for Michigan’s elite QB as Combine haze clears

J.J. McCarthy has experienced a rise in his draft stock since his performance at the NFL Combine at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The former Michigan quarterback has solidified his place as a first-round pick and seems to be going up even further.

ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper reckons McCarthy could overtake former North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye on the draft board. On his recent appearance on “First Draft,” Kiper noted that there's a battle between the two quarterbacks ahead of the upcoming draft.

“Drake Maye – J.J. McCarthy, it's a battle. I think that's legitimate. I'm talking to some of the people before the show and all I hear is J.J. McCarthy. J.J. McCarthy is smart, tough and athletic. … The bottom line is that J.J. McCarthy could overtake Drake Maye.”

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Mel Kiper believes J.J. McCarthy's stock rising

Mel Kiper released an updated edition of his Big Board on Friday and placed McCarthy as a top-20 prospect in the draft.

The ranking system, which indicates how pro-ready a prospect is, recorded a significant leap for the quarterback as he was ranked 23rd earlier. The analyst, who seems to believe that McCarthy will be selected earlier than many feel, said about the national championship-winning quarterback.

“McCarthy has first-round arm talent and can beat defenses with his legs too. He ranked third in the country in Total QBR (89.2) and completion percentage (72.3%) in 2023.

"Since he took over as the Wolverines’ starter in 2022, he threw 44 touchdown passes and nine interceptions.”

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Denver Broncos could land McCarthy, says Mel Kiper

One likely landing spot for McCarthy in the upcoming NFL draft, according to Mel Kiper, is the Denver Broncos.

He noted that it would be a brilliant move, on “NFL on ESPN,” considering the quarterback situation of the team.

“Denver makes sense to me,” Kiper said. “You think about Sean Payton in that division (AFC West), you think about where we are in AFC.”

“Where are they going to go after quarterback Russell Wilson isn’t going to be back? Who is Denver’s quarterback going to be? They could try to trade up. Good luck on that. If (Denver) sits where they are, maybe McCarthy’s gone.”

Sean Payton’s team needs to get a quarterback in the draft considering that Russell Wilson will be out for an extended period. It's to be seen whether they settle for McCarthy or pursue another option. The Broncos hold the 12th pick in the first round of the draft.