ESPN: NFL Exec Compares Michigan's J.J. McCarthy to Joe Burrow Despite Scouts Worries

Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy has drawn comparisons to one of the NFL's best signal-callers despite some scouts expressing worries about how his game will translate at the next level.

One AFC East executive compared McCarthy's skill set to that of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow "because of his mobility, toughness, winning mentality and ability to hit every throw," per ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller.

While the consensus among evaluators is that McCarthy is a first-rounder, "those who are less sure about his transition to the NFL definitely hang their hat on his lack of star power stats," Miller wrote.

"Tell me the game to watch where you're blown away by his quarterback ability," an AFC South area scout told Miller.

"McCarthy isn't really allowed to do a lot at Michigan, but he's so gritty and tough," an NFC general manager added. "The moxie is through the roof. And he's a much better all-around passer than he gets credit for."

McCarthy's numbers definitely don't stand out alongside some of the other signal-caller's available, but he continues to prove that he's a winner and has the ability to make a play when necessary.

The 20-year-old has completed 73.2 percent of his passes for 2,851 yards and 22 touchdowns against four interceptions in 14 games, in addition to rushing for 171 yards and three scores.

McCarthy is coming off a huge performance in a 27-20 overtime win over Alabama in the Rose Bowl as he propelled the Wolverines into the College Football Playoff national championship game for the first time in program history.

He completed 17 of 27 passes for 221 yards and three touchdowns in the win, in addition to rushing for 25 yards on three carries.

McCarthy and Michigan will now face Penix and the Washington Huskies in the national championship game on Monday, and a solid performance coupled with a win would do wonders in bolstering the quarterback's draft stock.

USC's Caleb Williams and UNC's Drake Maye are viewed as the top two quarterbacks available in the 2024 NFL draft, and McCarthy is included in the next tier alongside Washington's Michael Penix Jr., LSU's Jayden Daniels and Oregon's Bo Nix.