How talented is former Michigan football quarterback J.J. McCarthy? He’s being touted as Heisman-worthy by a former NFL general manager. Mike Tannenbaum, a longtime New York Jets executive, praised McCarthy on ESPN’s Get Up show, suggesting that his abilities transcend the statistics he accumulated at Michigan. Tannenbaum went on to speculate that if McCarthy had played for LSU, he could have achieved Heisman-level numbers, much like fellow top-ranked prospect Jayden Daniels. Alongside North Carolina’s Drake Maye, McCarthy and Daniels are among the leading quarterback prospects for the upcoming NFL draft, trailing behind the consensus top pick, USC’s Caleb Williams. Tannenbaum expressed his belief that McCarthy has the potential to lead an NFL team for the next decade. He highlighted McCarthy’s prowess during a segment on
Get Up, comparing him favorably to other top quarterbacks in the draft, particularly LSU’s Jayden Daniels. Tannenbaum illustrated his point by recalling a crucial game where McCarthy’s leadership shone through, emphasizing his ability to secure victories. He suggested that if the two quarterbacks were to swap teams, their statistical outputs would likely differ significantly. McCarthy led Michigan to victory in the College Football Playoff National Championship, posting impressive numbers with 2,991 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, and four interceptions, along with 202 rushing yards and three touchdowns. In contrast, Daniels had a stellar season statistically, winning the Heisman with 3,812 passing yards, 40 touchdowns, and four interceptions, along with 1,134 rushing yards and ten scores, although LSU finished with a 10-3 record.
Both Jayden Daniels and J.J. McCarthy are expected to be early first-round picks in the NFL draft. According to Daniel Jeremiah’s mock draft on NFL Network, the New York Giants are projected to select Daniels with the sixth overall pick, while the Atlanta Falcons are slated to pick McCarthy at eighth. In this scenario, both quarterbacks would likely become Week 1 starters for their respective teams.