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The NFL draft is fast approaching, and Michigan's J.J. McCarthy and North Carolina's Drake Maye are seeing their draft stock move in opposite directions.
With several teams needing quarterbacks to help reinvigorate their franchises, talented quarterbacks are everywhere in this year's draft class.
Caleb Williams is the consensus No. 1 overall pick and looks certain to be headed to the Chicago Bears, but after that, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy are next in line to be drafted. But how should they be ranked?
We used Sportskeeda's Mock Draft Simulator to see where each quarterback would land in the first round, and despite the hype surrounding both Maye and McCarthy, both fell down the draft board.
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Ranking every QB in the 2024 NFL draft
Here are the quarterback rankings after the mock draft simulator did its thing.
- Caleb Williams, USC
- Jayden Daniels, LSU
- Drake Maye, North Carolina
- J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
- Michael Penix Jr. - Washington
- Spencer Rattler - South Carolina
- Michael Pratt - Tulane
- Devin Leary - Kentucky
- Box Nix - Oregon
- Sam Hartman - Notre Dame
- Joe Milton - Tennessee
- Austin Reed - Western Kentucky
Williams is – surprise, surprise – the No. 1 pick and has been touted as such ever since he declared for the NFL draft. The Bears should get their franchise quarterback (they hope) for the next decade or more as Justin Fields is now part of the past.
Daniels, much like Williams has always been projected to be No. 2 in several mock drafts, and the Washington Commanders get their new quarterback to lead their new era under Josh Harris and Co.
Maye has seen his draft stock take a hit due to Daniels' superb 2023 college season that saw him win the Heisman Trophy. But there is every chance that the Commanders could take Maye over Daniels as their franchise quarterback.
Then, we get to the last quarterback drafted, J.J. McCarthy. The Michigan standout drops all the way to No. 23 in the mock draft simulator, but his draft stock has been soaring over the last couple of weeks and he could easily be taken in the top 10.
Could J.J. McCarthy be drafted in top 10?
There is every chance that McCarthy could be a top five pick, and just looking at Sportskeeda's mock draft, the New York Giants at No. 6 take offensive lineman Joe Alt.
That could easily be a spot where McCarthy gets taken as the Giants seem to be all out on Daniel Jones as their quarterback, and they have made moves in free agency to solidify the offensive and defensive lines, something a franchise does for a young quarterback.
While not in the top 10, but right on the edge, the Vikings at No. 11 could also take McCarthy (instead of at No. 23 in the mock), and then use their other pick to put a good piece around their new quarterback.
In reality, no one knows how the draft will shake out, and with so many unknowns, there's no way to predict the outcome. The only surefire thing that most people have happening is Caleb Williams to the Chicago Bears.
Other than that, it's all up in the air, and J.J. McCarthy could be selected just about anywhere.
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