NFL Draft Stock Watch: Is J.J. McCarthy 2024's Will Levis?

J.J. McCarthy is one of the most polarizing quarterback prospects ahead of the 2024 NFL draft. He comes with plenty of success, including winning the college football national championship last season, but his arm may not fit the typical mold of what NFL teams seek in the position.

His risky skillset has resulted in his draft projections being all over the place. Some analysts, such as Mike Tannenbaum, believe that he will be a top 10 pick. Others have suggested that he will not even be selected in the first round.

One comparison that has been drawn for J.J. McCarthy in the draft process is where Will Levis stood at this time last year. Some around the league believed that Levis would be one of the top picks and speculation circled as the draft approached that the Carolina Panthers could take him with the No. 1 pick.

When the draft played out, the Tennesse Titans selected Will Levis at No. 33 as the first pick in the second round of the 2023 draft.

It will be interesting to see where McCarthy lands as he also appears to have a wide range of realistic outcomes, based on what draft experts have been saying about his stock.

J.J. McCarthy scouting report

J.J. McCarthy

The Michigan Wolverines completed an undefeated season last year under Jim Harbaugh, as J.J. McCarthy helped lead them to a national championship. The quarterback prospect was extremely efficient, setting career-highs with a 72.3% completion percentage and 2,991 yards and 22 touchdowns passing with just four interceptions.

McCarthy has demonstrated athletic upside as well, rushing for 632 yards and 10 touchdowns in his three seasons as a starter.

The biggest knock on his career is that he wasn't necessarily the focal point of Michigan's success. They were much more known for their dominant defense and excellent rushing attack, both of which were among the best in the country.

Further complicating McCarthy's draft stock has been his performance at the 2024 NFL combine. He was reportedly impressive in most areas, besides in one of the most important, which is his arm talent. He underwhelmed in some of his throwing drills, but he has apparently shown off his athleticism, leadership and character, among other traits.

All of this suggests that it will be difficult to predict where J.J. McCarthy will land during the 2024 NFL draft. A quarterback-needy team may take a shot at him early in the first round, but like Will Levis last year, he could fall out of day one.

Here's what the Mock Draft Simulator predicts for the Michigan quarterback.

J.J. McCarthy: NFL draft projection for 2024

Mock Draft

The Mock Draft Simulator interestingly predicted the same fate for J.J. McCarthy in the 2024 NFL draft that Will Levis went through last year. This simulation features the Chicago Bears selecting McCarthy with the 33rd pick at the top of the second round, identical to where the Tennessee Titans are projected to select Levis.

This would be an interesting strategy for the Bears, who are rumored to be looking for a new quarterback to replace Justin Fields, who could be traded. This mock draft has them pass on the top quarterback prospects in the first round in favor of selecting Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr.

Picking the superstar wide receiver would presumably mean they are sticking with Fields, but the Simulator believes they can grab Harrison first and follow it up with a second-round quarterback. They would need to trade up to do so as they don't have a pick in the second round after sending theirs away for Montez Sweat at the trade deadline last year.