1.10 - JJ McCarthy, QB, Michigan - #9

[Ares Caesar]

3 minutes ago, CriminalMind said:

I’ve been in the McCarty train for a long long time. He was my #3 QB but I wanted and thought he could be had around #7-#11 pick selection, so I’m glad we got him in that range #10 (low end)

Given how many NFL media personalities had the Vikings trading up to 4/5 for McCarthy and giving up both 11/23 (and some even adding next years first round pick), paying some mid round picks to move up just 1 slot instead is pretty significant difference in my opinion. I'm glad it worked out that way, because it also resulted in them having the draft capital to make that trade up for Dallas Turner which seemed like a complete fantasy pre-draft.

Its still too early to say for certain the front office really knows the league/draft operations, but these are good signs that they're more understanding of them than not (which Kwesi being a younger guy, is something I personally had questions about).

[Taylor0026]

good value he is young same with turner.

 

[GermanVike]

3 hours ago, vike daddy said:

sort of counts, but no audio. lol

plus, the cameraman was spotlighting JJ's fiance more than him for awhile.

 

but you get points for being first!

He's got a golden retriever, I'm sold! (Even though I am a Labrador man myself, but all retriever owners are brothers)

[Morlee]

Anybody else annoyed by Mel Kiper stating again and again how McCarthy was overdrafted? Really took away from the moment tbh. 
 

McCarthy has consistently been in the top 5-10 of mock drafts for the last couple months. So I’m unsure how he was overdrafted. 
 

OT: I think we are all happy for the new QB. 

[viking]

8 hours ago, CWood21 said:

If there's a team in the top 12 that can make McCarthy the guy, it's probably Minnesota with their offensive weapons.  Fix that IOL, and see what happens.  Good pick and you didn't have to trade much to ensure you got your guy.

In the mock you posted you had the Vikings trading 1.11, 1.23 and out 2025 1st to trade up with the Cardinals to grab McCarthy. Seeing as we didn't trade the farm this should be a slam dunk pick in your eyes?

[GermanVike]

If anyone wants to see all his throws and runs of the 2023 season, here is a video: 

 

 

I was actually more impressed by his tape against Ohio St. in 2022. The Buckeyes loaded up the box to stop the run and Harbaugh had to put the game on the shoulders of the then 19 year old McCarthy... and he delivered. 

 

More than happy with getting him at 10. The dude has all the intangibles, and we have KOC to coach him all the tangibles.

[Ozzy]

At least they did not trade away 3 first round picks + to get the freaking guy.  But does seem very odd to trade away a 4th and a 5th rounder along with the #11 pick for the #10 pick and a 6th rounder.  As if the Jets would take him with the OL issues they have, and Jets are probably laughing at that deal because they would not have anyway but sure maybe they Jets could have traded with some else.  

 

Then to trade away to move up to #17 by giving up #23 pick, two third round picks in different years and a 4th rounder.  However Dallas Turner should have been gone a lot higher and his athletic upside is huge, so clearly he was wanted to be able to drop in zone coverage something Verse was not nearly as good at.  And technically it was great value because Turner could have easily been the #11 pick and McCarthy the #17 or lower pick, so that is great.

 

 

As for JJ McCarthy, well good luck to him but wow he is going to have to wildly improve and he is such a mystery because of his total lack of being in really difficult spots consistently year in and year out much less having high level passing success.  At least he is far more charismatic, personable, relatable and athletic than Kirk Cousins.  It is all his personality and demeanor on the sidelines is worlds ahead of Cousins who got better at it but was not naturally a great leader or personable guy, McCarthy at such a young age is far more outgoing and well spoken to his teammates and just generally more relatable.  Like Kwesi said his emotional intelligence is extremely high and that is easily I would say his best asset right now.

 

Has a QB that has been on such a loaded National Championship team yet still pretty unproductive wildly improve and become a different player in the NFL?  I can honestly say that has pretty much never happened in the last 20 years or more.  No example of a guy like him exactly but it will be interesting how it all plays out and glad they moved on from Cousins and are starting a new chapter.  

 

Really would have been curious if the Falcons took McCarthy and Penix Jr or Nix were there, what would have happened, I assume they would have taken Penix Jr no doubt about it. 

 

If one becomes a Hall of Fame QB by speaking well and relating to a variety of people, McCarthy would already be in it.  We will see if he can actually take that and improve as a passer as dramatically as he will need to.  

 

[Captain Relax]

7 hours ago, Ares Caesar said:

I cant say I know exactly what Kwesi means by that, but I assume his emotional maturity was a huge draw. I'm just making some conclusions based on things that came out after last years draft about Will Levis and Jaren Hall, but there was definitely talk about Will Levis having some ego/attitude turn offs and then you listen to some of the videos from the Vikings staff after drafting Jaren Hall which specifically mentioned his maturity and accountability, leads me to believe that the organization really takes a lot of the "character" aspects (maturity, ego, accountability and such) quite highly into consideration.

Its also a really small thing, but I love that JJ McCarthy regularly celebrated touchdowns with his teammates. Totally a "nobody went to his birthday party" kinda thing but I still think those things show something towards how guys get along with their team.

Maturity and the ability to regulate one's emotions for the sake of relationships and goals are products of emotional intelligence. Daniel Goldman's book "Emotional Intelligence" is really good.  I highly recommend it. 

[Captain Relax]

In watching tape on McCarthy I still wonder a little about his arm talent, however, I am really excited about his abilit to escape the pocket, by time for his receivers, and create on the fly.  This ability reminds me of...dare I say his name?...Aaron Rodgers. 

[Ozzy]

3 minutes ago, Captain Relax said:

In watching tape on McCarthy I still wonder a little about his arm talent, however, I am really excited about his abilit to escape the pocket, by time for his receivers, and create on the fly.  This ability reminds me of...dare I say his name?...Aaron Rodgers. 

Sure that is what everyone wants but QBs have been wildly overrated because of their ability to "create" outside the pocket.  

 

Desmond Ridder
Malik Willis
Zach Wilson
Trey Lance
Kellen Mond
Drew Lock
Sam Darnold
Mitchell Trubisky
Carson Wentz
Paxton Lynch
Marcus Mariota
Blake Bortles
Johnny Manziel
Jake Locker
Christian Ponder
Blaine Gabbert
Tim Tebow
Mark Sanchez
Vince Young

 

 

But there has been some great successes as well for some scrambling QBs and some solid players.  

Patrick Mahomes
Josh Allen
Baker Mayfield
Kyler Murray
 

 

Sure making the wow throws rolling and scrambling is what gave Aaron Rodgers attention but he can also do the simple little things very well and was very precise and consistent inside the pocket.  No offense can succeed if it is all just running all over outside of the pocket trying to chuck it downfield.  Sure Mahomes at times does that but really it is mostly all controlled and the play breaking down is not a down by down thing.  

 

That ability to create is awesome no question, but the fact JJ McCarthy is not a pure runner of the football I think Minnesota likes.  Otherwise they would have been far better off getting a Justin Fields for cheap rather than paying Darnold $10 mil but clearly they are not interesting in the QB run game or RPO stuff.  

 

His arm talent is a question no doubt about it but hopefully it is just small sample size, example Penix Jr threw 455 times more than JJ McCarthy over the last two years, that is basically a full season worth of passes JJ McCarthy never attempted.  Hard to read a guy with that sample size so it will be interesting what he can do with more weapons around him.  But becoming greater than Jordan Love, Caleb Williams and Jared Goff is going to be pretty damn difficult.  All those guys should be outstanding next year and most likely McCarthy might not even see the field.  He will never be at the level of arm talent Caleb Williams or Jordan Love have.  There is zero chance say Caleb Williams was on Michigan he would not have done wildly more things than McCarthy and if McCarthy was on USC last year with that roster he probably would have struggled where Caleb at least made the competitive.  

It will be interesting that is for sure and glad to at least have someone new for the organization to build around that is not just so veteran they bought from another team.  

 

[SteelKing728]

Now it's time for him to rescind his Bears fandom lol

[Captain Relax]

2 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

Sure that is what everyone wants but QBs have been wildly overrated because of their ability to "create" outside the pocket.  

 

Desmond Ridder
Malik Willis
Zach Wilson
Trey Lance
Kellen Mond
Drew Lock
Sam Darnold
Mitchell Trubisky
Carson Wentz
Paxton Lynch
Marcus Mariota
Blake Bortles
Johnny Manziel
Jake Locker
Christian Ponder
Blaine Gabbert
Tim Tebow
Mark Sanchez
Vince Young

 

 

But there has been some great successes as well for some scrambling QBs and some solid players.  

Patrick Mahomes
Josh Allen
Baker Mayfield
Kyler Murray
 

 

Sure making the wow throws rolling and scrambling is what gave Aaron Rodgers attention but he can also do the simple little things very well and was very precise and consistent inside the pocket.  No offense can succeed if it is all just running all over outside of the pocket trying to chuck it downfield.  Sure Mahomes at times does that but really it is mostly all controlled and the play breaking down is not a down by down thing.  

 

That ability to create is awesome no question, but the fact JJ McCarthy is not a pure runner of the football I think Minnesota likes.  Otherwise they would have been far better off getting a Justin Fields for cheap rather than paying Darnold $10 mil but clearly they are not interesting in the QB run game or RPO stuff.  

 

His arm talent is a question no doubt about it but hopefully it is just small sample size, example Penix Jr threw 455 times more than JJ McCarthy over the last two years, that is basically a full season worth of passes JJ McCarthy never attempted.  Hard to read a guy with that sample size so it will be interesting what he can do with more weapons around him.  But becoming greater than Jordan Love, Caleb Williams and Jared Goff is going to be pretty damn difficult.  All those guys should be outstanding next year and most likely McCarthy might not even see the field.  He will never be at the level of arm talent Caleb Williams or Jordan Love have.  There is zero chance say Caleb Williams was on Michigan he would not have done wildly more things than McCarthy and if McCarthy was on USC last year with that roster he probably would have struggled where Caleb at least made the competitive.  

It will be interesting that is for sure and glad to at least have someone new for the organization to build around that is not just so veteran they bought from another team.  

 

Thanks Ozzy.  Really glad to hear you, also, are choosing to have some hope for McCarthy to grow and improve his game.  I hear your concern about McCarthy in comparison to Love, Goff and Williams.  Yet, I think McCarthy and Darnold will be asked to be more in the role of a point guard game manager, rather than a a dynamic force...at least initially.

One of the things KOC and McGown will have to work on with McCarthy is his willingness to throw across his body or across the field from the way he is rolling out. He does not have the arm for that against NFL defenses.

 

[wcblack34]

3 hours ago, Morlee said:

Anybody else annoyed by Mel Kiper 

Every time I see his stupid face or hear his voice…

 

[Sad People]

 

[Worm Guts]

3 hours ago, Morlee said:

Anybody else annoyed by Mel Kiper stating again and again how McCarthy was overdrafted? Really took away from the moment tbh. 
 

McCarthy has consistently been in the top 5-10 of mock drafts for the last couple months. So I’m unsure how he was overdrafted. 
 

OT: I think we are all happy for the new QB. 

I'm not sure his opinion that McCarthy was overdrafted bothered me, but he seemed have a lack of awareness that that was where he needed to be picked if we wanted him.