Why J.J. McCarthy Will Have the Best NFL Career of All 2024 Rookie QBs

The quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft class had a ton of hype during the pre-draft process.

That pre-draft hype became a reality when six of them were drafted in the top 12 picks, which has never been done in the history of the NFL draft. It was also the first time since 1983 that six quarterbacks were drafted in the first round.

Let’s take a look at the 11 quarterbacks that were taken in the 2024 NFL Draft:

The team into which a player gets drafted has the most impact on whether the player will be successful or not. We have seen players like Patrick Mahomes, who would be a great QB no matter where he landed, but benefited from getting to redshirt his rookie year and learn from a solidified veteran QB in Alex Smith.

He also inherited head coach Andy Reid, who is the league’s top offensive-minded coach by a wide margin, as well as Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce, who were easily top five players in the league at their positions.

New Minnesota Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy will inherit a similar operation in Minnesota that will likely allow him to redshirt for one season behind veteran Sam Darnold. McCarthy might become the starter at some point during the 2024 campaign, but it plays into his favor that he won’t be thrown into the fire if the organization doesn’t believe he is ready.

Let’s take a look at why McCarthy will have the best career out of all the 2024 rookie quarterbacks.

J.J. McCarthy’s Scouting Report

McCarthy wasn’t a perfect prospect, but he’s got the tools to become an elite player

Strengths

While at Michigan, McCarthy ran a pro-style offense that required him to make plays from under center. It will be hard to predict if head coach Kevin O’Connell will use McCarthy under center as much as he used Kirk Cousins, but he is capable of making throws in a pro-style passing scheme.

He does well at making drive throws in between defenders against zone-heavy schemes, which is a valuable trait to possess. He showed his efficiency when placed into the right offensive scheme and structure, and he will be able to orchestrate the offense the way O’Connell wants.

You won’t have to worry about him trying to create plays off script and turning the ball over. He has great ball security and accuracy when scrambling outside the pocket to make throws on-the-run.

Weaknesses

McCarthy played on one of the most stacked college football teams in recent memory. The amount of talent that surrounded him at Michigan raises concerns about whether he will be able to elevate others within the offense.

McCarthy played for a Michigan team that dominated the majority of opponents on their schedule and was rarely forced to play from behind. This is a very similar situation to what we saw from Mac Jones during his transition from the University of Alabama to the New England Patriots.

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Supporting Cast Sets McCarthy Up For Success

Vikings have an onslaught of offensive weapons to help groom their young QB

Based on weapons on the offensive side of the ball, Minnesota and Chicago were the top landing spots for incoming rookie QBs. The Vikings have premier players at all impactful skill positions on offense.

The group is headlined by arguably the best WR in the NFL, Justin Jefferson, who recently signed the largest contract extension by a non-QB in league history.

Jefferson is complimented nicely by second-year wideout Jordan Addison, who had a fantastic rookie season in 2023. Addison had 70 receptions for 911 yards and 10 TDs as a rookie. Addison’s 10 receiving touchdowns were tied for the fourth most in the entire NFL last season, and on top of his nose for the end zone, he showed off his deep threat ability with six receptions of 30+ yards.

Star TE T.J. Hockenson will be coming off of a torn ACL that he suffered back in Week 16 against the Detroit Lions, and it is unclear whether he will be ready for the season opener in 2024. When healthy, Hockenson is a bonafide top five pass-catching TE in the league, and will serve as a great safety net for McCarthy in the future. In the meantime, Robert Tonyan should be able to do a job at the position.

The Vikings improved the RB room dramatically by signing Aaron Jones away from their division rival, the Green Bay Packers, during free agency. Jones is one of the league’s most dynamic playmakers and is a great pass catcher coming out of the backfield who should pair well with tough speedster Ty Chandler.

It helps to have left tackle Christian Darrisaw, who is blossoming into an elite pass protector, watching over his blind side as well. Through his first three seasons, Darrisaw has proven to be one of the league’s best players at one of the more premium positions. In 2023, PFF ranked him as a top five offensive tackle in the NFL.

The Vikings core group of offensive talent gives McCarthy the best opportunity to have long-term success compared to the other quarterbacks in his draft class.

J.J. McCarthy’s Outlook For The Future

The future is bright in Minnesota, besides playing in the gauntlet of the NFC North

The future is bright in Minnesota, in terms of organizational structure and roster construction. O’Connell has proven to be a solid play-caller and will most likely be McCarthy’s head coach for the foreseeable future. O’Connell, who is nicknamed the “Tall McVay”, has had success in his first two seasons as head coach.

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has built a roster on offense that can compete with anyone in the NFL. His data-drive approach to finding talent has boded well for him up to this point. The Vikings front office seems to be heading in the right direction, and will continue to be one of the better run organizations in the NFL.

The NFC North has a chance to be the best division in the NFL over the next few seasons. The Detroit Lions are coming off of an NFC Championship appearance and are bringing back the majority of their roster.

The arrow is pointing up for Jordan Love and the Packers, who have plenty of young offensive weapons as well. The Chicago Bears also completely reshaped their franchise by landing Caleb Williams and multiple impact offensive players to compliment him.

McCarthy will have a chance to compete for the starting job this season but will likely be the #2 QB on the depth chart heading into Week 1. If the Vikings and Darnold start off slow, there is a chance we will see McCarthy in action at some point midseason.

But, regardless of how much he plays in 2024, McCarthy is set up to have a lengthier and more successful NFL career than all of his QB draft classmates.

All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless stated otherwise.

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