2024 NFL Draft rumors: Some teams have J.J. McCarthy ranked ahead of Drake Maye in first-round QB class

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It’s NFL draft season, which means just about any opinion on top-ranked prospects is liable to make the rounds. The latest: Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy might actually go ahead of North Carolina’s Drake Maye in the crowded 2024 quarterback class.

Multiple NFL teams have McCarthy ranked ahead of Maye, according to ESPN, with at least one high-level evaluator citing McCarthy’s “winning resume, upside as a mobile quarterback and impeccable poise under pressure” as all grading out higher than Maye. Among the evidence cited: McCarthy led the FBS by completing 68% of his passes while under pressure in 2023.

Just because several teams like McCarthy more than Maye, of course, doesn’t mean the latter won’t come off the board first. For a long stretch of the pre-draft process, Maye has been widely considered one of the top-three quarterback prospects in the 2024 class, alongside USC’s Caleb Williams and LSU’s Jayden Daniels. McCarthy, meanwhile, has seen his stock rise in recent weeks and months, with some teams picking inside the top 10 reportedly smitten with his NFL upside.

In the latest mock drafts from CBS Sports experts, McCarthy is projected to be a top-10 selection, and go as high as No. 2 overall. Kyle Stackpole has McCarthy going to the Washington Commanders at No. 2, Pete Prisco has the Wolverines product going No. 3 to the New England Patriots, Chris Trapasso has him going No. 4 to the Denver Broncos via trade, and Ryan Wilson has the Minnesota Vikings moving to No. 5 to select the signal-caller.

The 2024 NFL Draft will take place from April 25-27 in Detroit. More draft coverage can be found at CBSSports.com, including the weekly updated draft order, mock drafts and a regularly available look at the eligible…


Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/2024-nfl-draft-rumors-some-teams-have-j-j-mccarthy-ranked-ahead-of-drake-maye-in-first-round-qb-class/

Author : Cody Benjamin

Publish date : 2024-03-29 14:42:38

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