NFL Scout Compares Michigan's J.J. McCarthy to 'Athletic' Version of Kirk Cousins

Seemingly every NFL draft cycle there's at least one quarterback who soars up draft boards the closer the event gets, and Michigan's J.J. McCarthy might be that prospect in 2024.

ESPN's Matt Miller spoke to an AFC East scout who identified McCarthy as a player "who's going to go higher than anyone thinks."

Another scout concurred.

"I think a lot of people haven't done a deep dive on McCarthy yet," they said. "But when they do, he's going to rise. He would dominate an event like the Senior Bowl."

That scout went on to call the Wolverines star "an athletic Kirk Cousins."

USC's Caleb Williams and North Carolina's Drake Maye have long been established as the top two quarterbacks in the 2024 draft class. Who comes next at the position is much less certain.

Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels made a compelling case after throwing for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns and running for 1,134 yards and 10 scores. Oregon's Bo Nix similarly did wonders for his draft stock after transferring.

McCarthy didn't post eye-popping numbers as a junior (2,630 yards, 19 touchdowns and four interceptions), but his completion percentage (74.2) rose nearly 10 points from 2021 (64.6). His 170.3 passer rating ranked sixth in the FBS as well.

With the comparison to Cousins, the adage about beauty being in the eye of the beholder comes to mind.

Cousins is a four-time Pro Bowler who has thrown for 4,000-plus yards in seven seasons. Plenty of teams would love to get that kind of consistency out of their quarterback, especially one in whom they invested significant draft capital.

However, it's tough to say the 35-year-old has necessarily elevated his teams on his own, and he lacks a truly elite trait. He isn't the first QB you'd pick if you were to build an NFL roster from the ground up.

The right situation goes a long way toward charting a quarterback's career. McCarthy could potentially thrive on a team that already has a strong supporting cast and doesn't need him to carry the franchise on his back.