Daniel Jeremiah 2024 NFL Draft Big Board: McCarthy, Penix Up, Nix Down After Combine

J.J. McCarthy is increasingly establishing himself as a first-round lock.

Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network released his latest big board Thursday, with the Michigan product moving up six spots to No. 21 overall. McCarthy is the fourth-ranked quarterback on Jeremiah's board behind USC's Caleb Williams (No. 1 overall), North Carolina's Drake Maye (No. 5) and LSU's Jayden Daniels (No. 6).

Oregon's Bo Nix, who had been one slot ahead of McCarthy on Jeremiah's previous big board, dropped to No. 29 overall and is the fifth-ranked quarterback. Washington's Michael Penix Jr. could soon leapfrog Nix as well after moving up to the No. 33 overall spot.

McCarthy is perhaps the most polarizing quarterback prospect in the 2024 class. His proponents point to Michigan's consistent winning with him under center, his fluid athleticism and his ability to make most throws all over the field. Teams are also intrigued by his age (21) in comparison to his contemporaries, most of whom are two or three years older.

Detractors point out the fact that Michigan overwhelmingly relied on its ground game rather than put the ball in McCarthy's hands. He threw the ball only 18 games in the Wolverines' national title game win over Washington and topped 25 pass attempts just six times all season. There are also legitimate concerns over McCarthy's slender frame and consistency in the pocket.

Nix and Penix put up far superior numbers at the college level and were winners in their own right, but they both have noticeable warts in their game as well. Nix played in a system that required little post-snap processing, and he was a late bloomer in college. He'll likely need at least a year on the sidelines to handle NFL decision-making in the pocket.

Penix has a long, winding release and struggled with his accuracy against an elite Michigan pass rush in the CFP championship. He also has an extensive injury history and turns 24 in May.

Nix already turned 24 in February.