J.J. McCarthy at No. 2 is the bizarre draft rumor that makes no sense
There will be a ton of news and rumors regarding the teams’ preferences as the 2024 NFL Draft approaches. Many of them are deliberately planted to raise doubts and cause havoc, even though some of them turn out to be real.
Reports this week that J.J. McCarthy is being targeted by the Washington Commanders at No. 2 are the most impressive smokescreen of the season because it makes no sense at all. This is usually referred to as “smokescreen.”
What is J.J. McCarthy’s situation?
McCarthy is now the biggest uncertainty in the NFL Draft, which has allowed for the growth of creative imaginations. His outstanding completion percentage and Michigan National Championship victory can be interpreted as a sign of future success. On the other hand, his dearth of real representation or a strong movie could portend a disaster waiting to happen.
Throughout the pre-draft process, McCarthy’s representatives have done an outstanding job of highlighting his strengths and creating excitement about their client. He went from being a mid-20s prospect in mock drafts to the Top 10 and now the Top 5 as a result of it. It’s commonly assumed that McCarthy will not only be selected early, but that a team like Minnesota or Denver may trade up to select him as their starting quarterback in the future.
It is not a question of McCarthy’s goodness or badness, but rather of the extraordinary risk that he carries. While there have been instances of organizations taking a chance in the Top 10 (most notably with Josh Allen and Anthony Richardson), these players’ exceptional qualities made the risk worthwhile. There is just nothing particularly noteworthy about McCarthy. Although his accuracy numbers are outstanding, the tape doesn’t support him being an exceptional player. He benefited from a run-first offense that didn’t ask him to do much. McCarthy’s passable ball placement left his receivers out of position to maximize yards gained, and it’s reasonable to wonder if he’s not just a little more athletic version of Mac Jones.
A top-3 pick would never be used on that.
There is no logic to the fit in Washington.
The Commanders’ selection of Kliff Kingsbury as offensive coordinator clearly indicated their preferences for a quarterback. They’re planning to implement an Air Raid offense, which prioritizes the quarterback’s ability to make decisions both before and after the snap rather than needing someone who can carry out a play that is precisely planned and leaves little opportunity for creativity.
