Fans Debate QB J.J. McCarthy's Draft Stock after Leaving Michigan for 2024 NFL Draft

J.J. McCarthy's collegiate career is officially over.

The Michigan quarterback announced on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that he had decided to enter the 2024 NFL draft and forgo his remaining college eligibility.

McCarthy had just finished his second season as the Wolverines starter and helped the program capture its first national championship since 1997. He noted how difficult the decision was for him and stressed that he would be "forever a Michigan man."

"I have talked to many in and out of football, including my family, Coach Harbaugh, and many who's opinions I greatly admire and respect," McCarthy wrote. "This decision was not easy and how could it be–I love my teammates, I love my coaches and I love it here in Ann Arbor."

McCarthy ended his career at Michigan on a high note with the national championship victory and was even referred to as "the greatest quarterback in Michigan history" by Harbaugh.

He finishes his career with a 27-1 record and also has prototypical NFL quarterback height at 6'3". Still, his statistics weren't overly impressive as he failed to eclipse 3,000 passing yards in either year as the Wolverines starter.

Bleacher Report's Derrik Klassen projected McCarthy to be a fourth-round pick and listed him as the seventh quarterback and the 99th overall player in the 2024 draft.

Fans took to social media to debate his potential NFL future, with some viewing him as a potential Day 1 or 2 pick and others doubting if he would even be picked. The team he could end up with was also debated, with franchises like the New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings being thrown out as potential fits.

The possibility of Michigan losing both McCarthy and Harbaugh following the national championship win could be a tough pill for Wolverines fans to swallow. This comes as the Big Ten is set to add Washington, Oregon, USC and UCLA to the conference and just ahead of the CFP expansion from four teams to 12 teams.

McCarthy could up his stock with a strong combine performance but will likely not hear his named called until at least the late first round.

The NFL draft is scheduled for April 25-27 in Detroit.