Michigan's Jim Harbaugh Compares 'Generational' QB J.J. McCarthy to Mahomes, Allen

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh offered tremendous praise for Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy on Thursday, notably providing comparisons to NFL stars Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen in terms of his approach.

ESPN's Adam Rittenberg relayed the quotes from Harbaugh at Big Ten media days.

The 20-year-old McCarthy is entering his second season as Michigan's starting quarterback. He completed 64.6 percent of his passes for 22 touchdowns (five interceptions) and 2,719 yards (8.4 yards per attempt) last season. In addition, McCarthy rushed for 306 yards and five more scores.

Mahomes is a two-time NFL MVP and two-time Super Bowl champion, and the two-time Pro Bowler in Allen is arguably the second-best quarterback in football after breaking out in 2020. Naturally, they stand on the pedestal of the best to play the game right now.

Comparing just about any quarterback to those two may seem like a reach on the surface.

That being said, McCarthy has fared well in his own right, helping lead Michigan to a 13-1 record and a College Football Playoff appearance last year. He's also ranked highly among analysts in terms of his 2024 draft prospects should be declare.

Of note, Dane Brugler of The Athletic ranks him third overall among quarterbacks, and former ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay had him going 20th overall in his latest mock.

McCarthy has room for improvement, but he has the tools to reach a lofty ceiling. He'll start with a Sept. 2 regular-season home game against East Carolina.