Where is J.J. McCarthy projected to be drafted? Best fits for Jim Harbaugh's prized pupil

Former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy will be just a rookie in 2024. But he'll be fighting the equivalent of a Super Bowl hangover after winning the national championship against Washington and Michael Penix Jr. in January.

Despite winning it all, the Wolverines quarterback isn't expected to be the first overall pick by most. However, just how far down will the quarterback be? Here's a look at where he could land on the draft board.

In his 2024 rankings, ESPN's Mel Kiper has J.J. McCarthy in the first round but out of the top ten. That said, he has predicted the quarterback to remain squarely in the meat of the round, per the Detroit Free Press.

Kiper's early ranking has J.J. McCarthy getting selected at 16th overall. While mock drafts are seldom accurate 16 slots down the board, they do give a rough estimation of his value.

He won't be a top pick that teams will be trading an arm and a leg for, but he won't wait too long to learn his fate. Some would argue that's a best-case scenario, as he can go somewhere after a quality season with already demonstrated quality pieces.

Exploring J.J. McCarthy's scouting report

J.J. McCarthy at 2024 CFP national championship - Michigan vs. Washington

With Jim Harbaugh jumping ship to join the LA Chargers on Wednesday, there's no turning back now for his Michigan quarterback. However, winning it all doesn't automatically make teams fall in love with signal-callers.

No rookie prospect is perfect, but many have different pluses and minuses to their game. What are the pros and cons of the Michigan Wolverines quarterback?

First and foremost, J.J. McCarthy is one of the younger prospects in the NFL draft this year. He turned 21 on Jan. 20, and assuming he can play football as long as Tom Brady, he could have 24 years ahead of himself.

However, youth often means an extended learning curve, whether he plays throughout his rookie season. There's also a question of how he will handle the rigors of the league at such a young age. It takes some younger players to adjust to the level of demand that playing professional football as a quarterback takes.

He played just three seasons in college and is a bit more raw than other prospects. That said, he has trended up consistently in college, which indicates an ability to learn at the NFL level.

In his freshman year, he completed 57.6% of his throws. In his sophomore season, the number jumped to 64.6%. In his third season, he finished 72.3% of his throws.

It didn't translate into a greater number of touchdowns every year, but his accuracy and yards per attempt went up every season, which is a difficult accomplishment.

Overall, he's a raw, young talent who has shown an ability to learn. He might not be Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson on day one, but he could make his coach quite proud before long.

5 best landing spots for JJ McCarthy

J.J. McCarthy screams to be a talent worth sitting for at least a year. This means that teams with aging quarterbacks who are still productive serve as the best landing spots. Whether he warms the bench for a year or three, it lines up perfectly with teams sitting near the middle of the round in April.

• Denver Broncos
• Minnesota Vikings
• New Orleans Saints
• Los Angeles Rams
• New York Jets