J.J. McCarthy Rumors: Jim Harbaugh 'Could Dictate' Vikings Trade for Chargers' No. 5

Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh has been effusive in his praise of Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy ahead of Thursday's NFL draft, and it sounds like there's a chance he could have a hand in where the signal-caller ends up being selected.

The Chargers hold the No. 5 pick in the 2024 draft, and many are considering that to be a prime spot to potentially trade up for a quarterback. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported that after speaking to someone who knows Harbaugh "very well," he believes the former Wolverines head coach could determine McCarthy's future.

"This person explained it by laying out Harbaugh's approach with his teams—and how he's always treated his quarterbacks almost like they're his sons," Breer explained. "So it shouldn't be surprising that Harbaugh, sitting there at 5, could dictate McCarthy's landing spot, should the Cardinals stick at 4. And if he were to do McCarthy a solid, the most obvious place to send him, of course, would be Minnesota."

The Minnesota Vikings are widely believed to be interested in trading up to select a quarterback. The team owns the No. 11 and No. 23 picks in the first round, so it has the assets needed to make such a move.

McCarthy has worked his way up draft boards in recent months, partly due to Harbaugh helping improve his stock. After he and Harbaugh helped lead Michigan to the 2023 national championship, the coach has been enthusiastic about selling the 21-year-old to NFL teams.

"I think he plays quarterback the best of any quarterback in the draft," Harbaugh said of McCarthy last month. "He's incredible. So, big market, small market. Cold weather, hot weather, it won't matter."

B/R's NFL Scouting Department ranks McCarthy as the No. 4 quarterback in this year's class behind North Carolina's Drake Maye, USC's Caleb Williams and LSU's Jayden Daniels. In the latest mock draft, the Chargers were projected to keep the No. 5 pick and draft Washington receiver Rome Odunze, while McCarthy fell into the Vikings' lap at No. 11.

The Vikings are not alone in their interest in trading up for a quarterback, so Harbaugh and the Chargers will likely be fielding multiple calls from teams looking to move into the top five to select McCarthy or any other signal-caller who's still available.