J.J. MCCARTHY FLYING UP THE NFL DRAFT LEADERBOARD, HERE'S WHY!

ESPN's Adam Schefter remains convinced the Washington Commanders will take Jayden Daniels with the number two pick, yet there has been a significant amount of rumors around the NFL that point to J.J. McCarthy going number two.

While the possibility of Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy being selected by the Washington Commanders with the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft appears to be gaining traction, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. remains somewhat skeptical.

"Even though the intel may be right and they really do like J.J. McCarthy, do they like him enough to take him over Jayden Daniels, who as I said, can you imagine him at Washington with Lamar Jackson at Baltimore as the [pro comparison]?” Kiper Jr. said.

Kiper Jr. ranks McCarthy as the fourth-best quarterback in the 2024 class. His top-ranked player on the latest big board rankings is USC's Caleb Williams, followed by Daniels at No. 3, North Carolina's Drake Maye at No. 6, and McCarthy at No. 14 overall.

Initially viewed as the fourth-best QB and a mid-first-round prospect by most scouts, McCarthy has seen his draft stock soar after impressive showings at the combine and his pro day workout.

“I just keep hearing things about McCarthy,” Kiper Jr. added. “I'm still not convinced No. 2 overall is where he's going to go, but you hear it. … I'm not saying I'm not buying it, but I'm not convinced that's going to happen right now.”

Kiper Jr., currently has McCarthy going to the Minnesota Vikings at 14.

THE UNDERRATED LINE:
Like most QBs drafted into the NFL, teams are essentially rolling dice and hoping that everything works out. As for McCarthy, he does have significant upside when you consider he is just 21 years old, helped lead his team to a National Championship, and his on-the-field mechanics have improved considerably in the past 12 months. When you factor all of that in, plus his ability to quickly read defenses, he appears to have more upside than downside.

I'm not saying he is going to Canton, but he certainly has enough raw talent to take a team on a deep playoff run, that is contingent on him ending up with the right team, at the right time because as we all know nothing ruins a quarterback career quicker, then a coaching staff that is unable to harness the strengths of a rookie QB. Just ask Sam Darnold!