NFL Exec Sees Jim Harbaugh Becoming Raiders HC and Drafting Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy

At least one NFL executive believes the Las Vegas Raiders make the most sense for current Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh if he makes the jump to the pros, telling The Athletic's Mike Sando he could picture the coach pushing to draft Wolverines' quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

"With the Raiders, he is going to have less interference," the executive added. "If he goes to the Chargers, the (owner Dean Spanos') son (John Spanos) is involved, family members are involved, all those things. But you get a better quarterback right away in (Justin) Herbert."

Harbaugh is going to be one of the biggest names on the coaching market if he leaves the college game behind, alongside Bill Belichick if he divorces from the New England Patriots.

Each of the five teams with coaching vacancies offer positives and negatives. The Carolina Panthers have a young quarterback already in place but no first-round picks this year to improve a weak roster, alongside the looming specter of David Tepper's poor ownership record.

The Washington Commanders hold the No. 2 overall pick and new owner Josh Harris has already made aggressive front-office moves to change the organization's direction, including bringing aboard former Golden State Warriors executive Bob Myers. But they need to upgrade the quarterback position and erase years of mediocrity.

The Chargers have Justin Herbert and a talented roster that made the postseason just a year ago, but also a stadium that regularly sees the visiting team hold the majority of the support.

The Raiders lack a solid quarterbacking option but have talent on both sides of the ball and responded well to the midseason coaching change to interim Antonio Pierce.

And the Atlanta Falcons are loaded with playmakers, namely on offense, but also need to upgrade the quarterback position to unlock that roster's full potential.

So Harbaugh will have some intriguing options. But to this point, the Raiders and Chargers seem to be the teams leading the pack for his potential services.