"Stats, for me, wasn’t the big thing": J.J. McCarthy explains his focus as Michigan QB was winning as teams evaluate him ahead of the NFL draft

J.J. McCarthy has been one of the best quarterbacks in college football over the last two seasons, leading Michigan to the national championship in January. However, his stats for the Wolverines do not scream elite despite the level of work he puts in on the gridiron.

During his media availability at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis on Friday, McCarthy said that he didn't care about stats during his days at Michigan. He added that was rather focused on what mattered the most: ensuring that his team won.

“Stats, for me, wasn’t the big thing,” McCarthy said. “All I cared about was being the best teammate I could be. Being the best quarterback I could be, whatever is asked of me. The only stat I cared about was winning, and we did pretty good in that category.”

J.J. McCarthy ended his career in Ann Arbor with a 27-1 record, throwing for 6,226 yards and 49 touchdowns. A couple of reports have shown that he's highly rated in the NFL scouting community, which is positive for his draft stock.

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Teams questioned J.J. McCarthy on the Penn State game

One of the doubts teams hve about J.J. McCarthy is his throwing ability. The quarterback played in a run-centric offense at Michigan, which limited the amount of his throws. Notably, the Wolverines did not attempt a throw in the second half against Penn State in 2023.

McCarthy disclosed that a couple of teams raised the scenario in their meetings at the Combine. He completed just seven of eight passes for 60 yards while rushing 32 straight snaps until the end of the game. Nonetheless, he told teams that it was part of the push for the national title.

“That was a big one that came up, and it was kind of the ability, especially that example to let them know my teammates, receivers specifically, were not very excited when Coach Moore said it’s going to be one of those games,” McCarthy said.

“But just letting them know the process of the approach I took during that time of just saying. This is a huge part of our quest to become national champions.”

J.J. McCarthy will be throwing at the Combine to prove doubters wrong about his throwing ability. He, however, won't be running the 40-yard dash due to tight hamstring. A brilliant performance in the throwing session could cement McCarthy as a first-round pick.