NFL Exec: J.J. McCarthy 'Very Far Off' from Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Maye

While Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy is expected to be a first-round pick in this year's NFL draft, at least one executive believes there is a gap between McCarthy and the top tier of signal-callers in this year's class.

Per Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, one AFC executive claimed that McCarthy is "very far off" from the top three quarterbacks in the draft—Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels.

"One long-time exec made a note while he was studying the Michigan star that read, A question I need answered: What makes Maye so much better than McCarthy?" Breer wrote. "Conversely, our AFC exec said McCarthy is 'very far off' from the top three. 'J.J.'s not getting in the top three. No way.'"

While McCarthy had a solid year with 2,991 passing yards and 22 touchdowns, there have been concerns about his body. At 6-foot-3, 202 pounds, one executive noticed how "lanky" McCarthy was in the fall.

"One veteran exec told me in the fall that he was taken aback by how narrow and lanky the Wolverines quarterback was, calling him a 'stretched-out Bryce Young,'" Breer wrote. "So how tall McCarthy comes in at and how much he weighs will be a factor, as will NFL teams eyeing him up trying to figure out how much bigger he can get."

McCarthy, who spent three seasons at Michigan, is considered to be the No. 55 player on Bleacher Report's NFL Draft Big Board with a grade of 7.3. He sits behind Maye at No. 1 (9.3), Williams at No. 2 (9.2) and the Heisman Trophy-winning Daniels at No. 3 (7.8) in the quarterback rankings. McCarthy does have the edge over Heisman runner-ups Michael Penix Jr. (7.1) and Box Nix (7.1).

Bleacher Report's Mock Draft has McCarthy as the fourth quarterback off the board behind Williams, Maye and Daniels, going to the Denver Broncos, who have the No. 12 pick.