The Minnesota Vikings got their franchise quarterback.
They were high on J.J. McCarthy for most of the NFL Draft process, and they were able to get him.
McCarthy was the biggest riser in this year’s edition of the draft, but he was also the most controversial player.
Some were unfazed by his underwhelming production in college, while others stated that the only reason his numbers weren’t better was that his team didn’t need him to do that much.
Notably, that includes college football analyst Joe Klatt.
Talking on FOX Sports, he predicted that McCarthy would be the most successful among rookie quarterbacks right out of the gate (via The Purple Persuasion).
“I think JJ McCarthy is in the best situation of any of the rookie quarterbacks to go and succeed right away” said @joelklatt on his podcast yesterday. pic.twitter.com/JmKNebFOjq
— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) April 30, 2024
He argues that he’s in the best position of all rookies because of his supporting cast and head coach Kevin O’Connell, who’s known for being a QB guru.
But more than that, he thinks he’s way better than most people think, stating that he was elite on third down and made big play after big play when his team needed him to.
On top of that, he stated that the tape showed that he was the best quarterback throwing between 10 and 20 yards among all rookies, with only Michael Penix Jr. outplaying him when throwing downfield as well.
McCarthy has a legitimate chance to be thrown into the fire right away.
He spent his entire collegiate career playing in an NFL-like environment under coach Jim Harbaugh.
And while his career numbers may not be that impressive, he’s 27-1, and that’s the only stat that actually matters in this game.
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