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Fans Debate QB J.J. McCarthy's Draft Stock after Leaving Michigan for 2024 NFL Draft | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Author

Sarah Rodriguez

Published Mar 23, 2026

HOUSTON, TX - JANUARY 08: Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) leaps and runs towards the end zone after a second Michigan touchdown is scored during the CFP National Championship game Michigan Wolverines and Washington Huskies on January 8, 2024, at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

J.J. McCarthy's collegiate career is officially over.

The Michigan quarterback announced on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that he had decided to enter the 2024 NFL draft and forgo his remaining college eligibility.

J.J. McCarthy @jjmccarthy09

Forever a Michigan Man πŸ’™πŸ™ <a href="">

McCarthy had just finished his second season as the Wolverines starter and helped the program capture its first national championship since 1997. He noted how difficult the decision was for him and stressed that he would be "forever a Michigan man."

"I have talked to many in and out of football, including my family, Coach Harbaugh, and many who's opinions I greatly admire and respect," McCarthy wrote. "This decision was not easy and how could it be–I love my teammates, I love my coaches and I love it here in Ann Arbor."

McCarthy ended his career at Michigan on a high note with the national championship victory and was even referred to as "the greatest quarterback in Michigan history" by Harbaugh.

He finishes his career with a 27-1 record and also has prototypical NFL quarterback height at 6'3". Still, his statistics weren't overly impressive as he failed to eclipse 3,000 passing yards in either year as the Wolverines starter.

Bleacher Report's Derrik Klassen projected McCarthy to be a fourth-round pick and listed him as the seventh quarterback and the 99th overall player in the 2024 draft.

Fans took to social media to debate his potential NFL future, with some viewing him as a potential Day 1 or 2 pick and others doubting if he would even be picked. The team he could end up with was also debated, with franchises like the New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings being thrown out as potential fits.

The guy who throws Stone Cold's beer cans @RandyJort0n

Not a first rounder I think that portion of the class is pretty heavy, I can see him being 3-4th round

Faisal Yousaf @faisal7y

Best priority UDFA in this year's class ...

Louie @LouieBandanaa

Second rounder

ANALYST NICK @nickdeportes

Undrafted

π™π™šπ™― @TezFrm901

he's a viking for sure

Legoat wrld πŸ‘‘ @lakerstrollwrld

He's a patriot

Raymond Stern @RaymondStern4

Late 1st to late 2nd perfect choice for the <a href="">@Seahawks</a> as Mccarthy can back up geno smith and start in '25

Fantasy in the A.M. @FantasyintheAM

Future BUST

casey @sportsby_me

Zach Wilson 2.0

jay πŸ‡©πŸ‡΄ @jaydaagoat

JJ McCarthy seems like the perfect patriots QB lol

Christopher Brown @Cristop09101727

JJ McCarthy may not be ready but if he's developed right I could see him being a very solid starter in the league.

MOE @ItsMisterMoe

JJ McCarthy leaving is a mistake.

𝙏𝙀π™₯ π™π™‘π™žπ™œπ™π™© π™…π™šπ™©π™¨ βœˆοΈπŸ—½πŸˆ @TopFlightJets

JJ McCarthy and Rodgers are going to get along so well πŸ™‚πŸ€£

Garrett Joseph Franks @garrett_franks

I'm sorry, but I just don't see JJ McCarthy having a long pro career.

Who Dey @AndreBengals

JJ McCarthy should be drafted between #25 and #45. No earlier and no later. He's nowhere near ready to be a Day 1 starter but he's a good project to sit for a year or 2.

Zack🐢πŸ₯ΆπŸ†πŸ† @SCDawg864

JJ McCarthy is gonna br a 10 year backup isn't he

Brian @bdekt73

If Jim Harbaugh leaves Michigan for the NFL, the most talked about destination seems to be him going to the Chargers; however, I wonder if he would consider going to a team that he thinks is in need of starting qb where he has a legitimate opportunity to draft JJ McCarthy.

The possibility of Michigan losing both McCarthy and Harbaugh following the national championship win could be a tough pill for Wolverines fans to swallow. This comes as the Big Ten is set to add Washington, Oregon, USC and UCLA to the conference and just ahead of the CFP expansion from four teams to 12 teams.

McCarthy could up his stock with a strong combine performance but will likely not hear his named called until at least the late first round.

The NFL draft is scheduled for April 25-27 in Detroit.