Quarterback option appears in the draft that could be the Bears’ “savior”

admin | December 3, 2023 | Other Clubs | No Comments

The Carolina Panthers will most likely give the Chicago Bears two extremely high draft picks in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, including the No. 1 overall pick.

With one of those two picks, might the team surprise everyone in the football world by selecting Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy?

It would be surprising if Chicago did not bench current starter Justin Fields with five games left in the regular season. Chicago Tribune bears source Brad Biggs said the team is thinking about going after McCarthy.

McCarthy is from LaGrange Park, Illinois, as Biggs points out, so it would be quite the tale if the local team selected him in the draft.

Biggs stated on December 1st, “Imagine if a local kid was drafted to be the savior for the local franchise— McCarthy was a five-star recruit at Nazareth before finishing his high school career at IMG Academy in Florida during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.”

What Would the Bears Be Getting in QB J.J. McCarthy?

Fields was listed as 6’3″ and 227 pounds when he entered the league, so McCarthy’s 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame isn’t very large for a quarterback, but he is incredibly accurate and has gotten better every year since joining the Wolverines.

McCarthy hadn’t yet been a starter when he threw his first touchdown throw as a freshman at Michigan. After taking over for former starter Cade McNamara in the fourth quarter, he entered the game and immediately completed a 69-yard touchdown pass. It was a play that perfectly encapsulated all of his strengths.

McCarthy made just 34 of 59 passing attempts for 519 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions in his limited first season. As a sophomore in 2022, he assumed the starting position and completed 64.6% of his passes for 2,719 yards, 22 touchdowns, and five interceptions.

McCarthy has completed 2,483 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions on 74.3% of his throwing attempts this season. He’s also performed admirably against some extremely formidable defenses.

McCarthy completed 38 of 50 passes (77% of attempts) for 295 yards, a touchdown, and no interceptions against Ohio State and Iowa, two of the top five scoring defenses in the country. His ability to play flawlessly in pivotal moments has been invaluable to Michigan.

Additionally, his stats aren’t as flashy as those of other elite quarterbacks in the draft, like North Carolina standout Drake Maye (63.3% completion percentage, 3,608 yards, 24 touchdowns, and nine interceptions) or USC’s Blake Williams (68.6 completion percentage, 3,633 yards, 30 touchdowns, and five interceptions this season). But a big part of the reason for that is that over the past few seasons, Michigan has mostly used a running game behind Blake Corum.

NFL Scouts Are High on J.J. McCarthy, Per Brad Biggs

In addition to Jim Harbaugh, the head coach of Michigan, speaking highly of McCarthy, Biggs stated that several scouts had nothing but positive things to say about the Michigan quarterback.

“He’s definitely athletic enough in the pocket,” one scout told Biggs about McCarthy. “He’s got all the necessary arm talent. He’s accurate enough. I like his confidence. There’s that fine line of taking risks and not being stupid, and usually he’s at that line. For whatever reason, there’s been a few games this year he’s been crossing that line. He’s a legit first-round contender based on what I’ve seen. I’m optimistic about what he can be. I don’t have a strong conviction at this point.”

An NFL executive also told Biggs, “I love McCarthy.” “J.J. has an allure that he may not have enough of to get him over Williams.”

McCarthy turns 21 in January, so it’s unclear if he’ll declare for the draft the following year. Another concern is whether the Bears will be interested in him. Based on his success this season, he must be one of the quarterback alternatives that Chicago will undoubtedly consider. Biggs has been reporting recently, so it could be wise to keep a careful eye on him.