By two video games in 2023, how has Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy grown as a 2024 NFL Draft prospect? And is he trending towards realizing his aspirations as a first-round passer within the 2024 cycle? On this week’s Scouting Highlight, we method these questions.
J.J. McCarthy Off to a Depraved Quick Begin in 2023
It’s 2023, and the J.J. McCarthy passing clinic is now in session.
McCarthy has all the time been a naturally gifted passer, relationship again to his days as a fringe five-star recruit out of highschool. However in 2023, he’s already taken a visual step up, closing the hole between being a uncooked expertise and being a reliable quarterback.
By two video games as of this writing, McCarthy has accomplished 48 of 55 passing makes an attempt — amounting to a mind-boggling 87.3% completion fee — for 558 yards, 5 touchdowns, and no interceptions.
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Now, the competitors that McCarthy confronted over this stretch — East Carolina and UNLV — pales compared to the exams he’ll face farther down the highway, with NFL talent-laden defenses corresponding to Minnesota, Ohio State, and Penn State.
Nonetheless, NFL performs are NFL performs. In a brief stretch this 12 months, McCarthy has already put loads of these on movie, and he’s strengthening his case to be the 2024 NFL Draft QB3 behind Caleb Williams and Drake Maye.
Scouting Movie Highlight: McCarthy’s Operational Development in 2023
There’s one factor we’ve all the time recognized about McCarthy: He has the required bodily expertise. He’s on the leaner aspect along with his construct, however his throwing movement stays some of the alluring within the 2024 NFL Draft crop. He’s a unfastened, elastic thrower, whose over-arching flexibility permits him to persistently maximize the torque generated from his hips.
This week’s NFL Draft Scouting Highlight Topic: Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy.
Has accomplished 87.3% of his passes by two weeks. A fast introduction to his throwing movement beneath. Insanely versatile and fluid passer. Full power circuit from the hips to the arm. pic.twitter.com/ILm6As59pZ
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) September 12, 2023
Alongside along with his high-level arm elasticity and launch quickness, McCarthy additionally brings an elite creation part. He has pace in open area, however much more beneficial within the pocket is his change of course and short-area agility. He can use this agility to evade sack threats, create new throwing home windows, and preserve performs alive amid adversity.
Because the play beneath reveals, there are different particulars that additionally matter. McCarthy drags his again foot on the road of scrimmage right here, in order to not be penalized, and his imaginative and prescient off-script, drawing the linebacker out of the center, is what helps seal the play. However performs like this are routine for McCarthy due to his easy athleticism and mobility.
One other hallmark of J.J. McCarthy’s recreation: His athleticism, change-of-direction, and creation capability.
That, in tandem along with his arm elasticity and suppleness, permits him to make performs like this. pic.twitter.com/bjY5dgfHmz
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) September 12, 2023
McCarthy is unfastened and elastic in all phases, and to high it off, his arm power is a visual plus. He doesn’t fairly have the mass you’d anticipate from a QB labeled with an enormous arm. However because the throw beneath reveals, McCarthy has the required velocity technology capabilities to suit the ball into extremely tight home windows and drive throws previous tight protection and undercutting defenders.
J.J. McCarthy’s arm power is stunning at occasions, however it’s a particular a part of his recreation.
It’s an elastic driving velocity, that permits him to slice throws previous undercutting defenders on-schedule, and get the ball the place solely his WR can attain — like on this deep submit. pic.twitter.com/4zHoWQVXC0
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) September 12, 2023
We’ve recognized for a very long time that McCarthy has the required instruments to separate himself as a possible Spherical 1 passer within the 2024 NFL Draft. However in 2022, that expertise was the first promoting level of McCarthy as a future prospect. Now, in 2023, it appears as if he’s including extra to his recreation.
Anticipation
You may have the strongest arm on this planet, however for those who don’t see issues rapidly, and for those who don’t make exhaustive use of timing as a thrower, you gained’t achieve success.
On the flip aspect, for those who can correctly weaponize your arm expertise with fast timing and anticipation, you may full passes even when going through respectable protection. McCarthy has proven improved anticipation thus far in 2023, and it’s visibly helped his manufacturing.
Right here’s the primary instance of anticipation for McCarthy. It’s a easy one — a fast comeback route on the boundary. However McCarthy releases this throw nicely forward of the break and throws it completely to steer the WR outdoors and away from protection. Even these easy anticipation throws want exact timing and placement.
In a method, anticipation is indicative of a QB’s heightened diploma of consolation in an offense.
There are easy examples and complicated ones, however on the very least, it’s encouraging to see that J.J. McCarthy has an consciousness of how his timing impacts throw success. pic.twitter.com/8USSorQaQq
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) September 12, 2023
The cross beneath is a extra nuanced instance. McCarthy triggers on an intermediate out route from a stacked alignment on the appropriate aspect. The defender, in man protection, really performs the route pretty nicely — however McCarthy releases simply because the break occurs, firing a laser into a decent pocket outdoors the numbers. No defender can account for excellent execution.
J.J. McCarthy’s bodily basis is so thrilling — not solely in a vacuum, but in addition with how it may be weaponized by poise and anticipation to negate protection.
A pleasant preview beneath. pic.twitter.com/ei2EH1BiLh
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) September 12, 2023
Monitoring to the intermediate and deep thirds, McCarthy has additionally proven he can anticipate over the center of the sphere. His base is just a little too extensive on the high of his three-step drop on the play beneath, however he has the sphere imaginative and prescient to acknowledge his receiver breaking open on the dig route over 20 yards out, and his fast set off prevents defenders from being keyed in.
One other occasion of window anticipation from J.J. McCarthy — this time in opposition to UNLV. Releases this ball early and rips it to the center of the sphere. pic.twitter.com/TudfaMbZ9V
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) September 12, 2023
Even on throws the place he doesn’t have an abundance of time, McCarthy has proven he can work rapidly with the data relayed in entrance of him. On this play-action pretend, McCarthy is aware of the place he’s going as quickly as he stops his drop. He rips a laser to the crossing receiver and does so earlier than the LB can get depth and switch his head.
Extra anticipation later in opposition to UNLV.
This time, it’s a easy crossing sample off play-action. The trailing LB makes an attempt to get depth, however by the point he turns his head, the ball is already zipping previous him. pic.twitter.com/pxlx8e8YnE
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) September 12, 2023
Briefly, McCarthy has proven, by two video games, that he’s seeing the sphere faster, performing on info faster, and he’s being rather more disciplined and exhaustive along with his timing. As soon as a passer has the timing aspect down, that opens up alternatives to control the protection.
Manipulation
When a pocket operator can use his mechanics and eyes to actively manipulate defenders, it’s an indication of his heightened consolation and management — and that’s one thing McCarthy has exhibited to evaluators this 12 months.
Within the play beneath, McCarthy has a left-side skinny submit, an intermediate dig from the appropriate, and a single-high security in battle between them. Utilizing his flexibility and elasticity, McCarthy tilts his base towards the submit to attract off the security.
All this causes is a slight misstep from the security, however it’s sufficient to provide the dig receiver area. McCarthy is ready to set off on the dig, even along with his tilted base, by utilizing his crisp arm elasticity.
When you see issues rapidly sufficient to anticipate, you may management spacing and place DBs into battle.
That’s what J.J. McCarthy does right here. Subtly tilts his base vertical and baits the single-high security into lurching towards the thin submit, then makes use of elasticity to hit the dig. pic.twitter.com/YDN4lk2c2x
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) September 12, 2023
Under, you’ll see an much more distinct instance. Within the crimson zone, McCarthy has a nook path to the top zone with a swing sample beneath. He actively hitches to attract the flat defender downfield to the swing, and in doing so, he creates a window to hit the nook route.
McCarthy releases with no hesitation and layers the ball completely into a decent bucket along with his elasticity and managed shoulder loft. Performs like this don’t occur until the QB is aware of what he’s seeing, and he has management of each his mechanics and the sphere.
You may see all of it come collectively for J.J. McCarthy on this throw in opposition to ECU.
In actual time, McCarthy’s slight hitch on the high of his drop manipulates the flat defender into opening up the nook route ultimately zone.
No hesitation, complete management, excellent placement. pic.twitter.com/Q8p1EcSUh2
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) September 12, 2023
In-structure manipulation is maybe essentially the most complicated, however it’s vital to notice that McCarthy has the imaginative and prescient, fast processing, and situational IQ to control defenders whereas working off-script as nicely. Moreover, he can use his capacity as a working risk to attract beneath defenders out of passing lanes — as proven beneath.
Anticipation and defender manipulation finally stem from an consciousness of the shifting components. J.J. McCarthy has that — each in-structure and off-script.
Right here, he makes use of his mobility to bait LBs out of a throwing lane, and is ready to hit his outlet within the warmth of the second. pic.twitter.com/Gi7euRyCH5
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) September 12, 2023
In simply two video games in 2023, we’ve arguably seen extra bouts of anticipation and defensive manipulation from McCarthy than we noticed within the entirety of 2022. It’s clear that the Michigan offense is opening up extra to McCarthy now — and that’s a direct byproduct of his development as a passer.
Poise
McCarthy has grown in a number of areas as a 2024 NFL Draft prospect. However a very powerful space of development has been his poise.
Poise permits passers to do extra issues from contained in the pocket. Inversely, passers who lack poise go away alternatives on the desk, both from missed reads (dropping their eyes), missed throws (eroding mechanics), or misplaced time (failing to navigate and create).
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Final 12 months, McCarthy did all of this stuff regularly beneath stress. He’d drop his eyes early; he’d expertise modulations in his mechanics, inflicting inaccuracy. And he’d take himself away from secondary reads and checkdowns, making an attempt to do an excessive amount of.
This 12 months, McCarthy is bringing virtually uncanny toughness and resolve within the pocket. The play beneath, from the ECU recreation, is a wonderful instance. This can be a third-and-11 snap. McCarthy is aware of he wants the primary down, and he is aware of he’s going to get hit low. Regardless, McCarthy slides, stays managed and composed, and hits his WR for the primary.
What has allowed J.J. McCarthy to indicate a lot development by two weeks? In my view, poise has loads to do with it.
third and 11. He is aware of he’s getting hit. Final 12 months, he may hesitate and drop his eyes on this state of affairs. However this 12 months, he’s standing tall and delivering. pic.twitter.com/3dcfSoN0QN
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) September 12, 2023
Not solely has McCarthy been resolved in maximizing pocket alternatives, however he’s additionally been rather more disciplined along with his mechanical congruence. In 2022, direct stress threats evoked frantic reactions from McCarthy. However the play beneath is one other stellar instance of his development.
Because the pocket collapses, he climbs up, stays locked in, and makes use of his mechanical congruence to layer an ideal cross. He leads the receiver away from the looming flat defender and in addition throws excessive, permitting the receiver to go up, take authority, and high-point the cross.
A scarcity of poise additionally contributed to eroding mechanics for J.J. McCarthy final 12 months. It’s one factor to face tall. It’s one other to remain composed and disciplined.
This play marked enchancment. Strain coming from a number of instructions, and he nonetheless steps up and lays it in. pic.twitter.com/HTpPf74YCv
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) September 12, 2023
And at last, there’s this instance of poise from the UNLV recreation — one which resulted in a landing. McCarthy’s whole inside offensive line was demolished inside a second or two of this rep, however McCarthy nonetheless remarkably stays in management. He slides diagonally up the left aspect, retains his mechanics in section, eyes his crossing WR early within the rep, and leads him laterally for a RAC alternative.
Good instance of pocket poise from J.J. McCarthy vs. UNLV this previous week.
UNLV obtained the very best of Michigan’s line just a few occasions, and demolished their inside right here. McCarthy doesn’t panic. He slides as much as the left, stays in-phase, and leads Roman Wilson completely for a RAC rating. pic.twitter.com/EMylkkQhKJ
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) September 12, 2023
A scarcity of poise can forestall in any other case clever passers from utilizing and absolutely unleashing their intelligence and manipulation capabilities on a protection. It may be a devastating roadblock for passers who in any other case have all of the instruments.
It was a roadblock for McCarthy in 2022. However in 2023, it seems we have now a unique J.J. McCarthy on the sphere.
McCarthy Beginning a Sturdy Case for QB3
We knew J.J. McCarthy had the athleticism and the arm expertise, however now he seems to have the poise, discipline imaginative and prescient, and full management anticipated of a first-round quarterback.
Sure, it is extremely early, and McCarthy hasn’t confronted powerful competitors but. Video games in opposition to Minnesota, Ohio State, and Penn State shall be much more revealing relating to simply how far McCarthy has come.
Nonetheless, McCarthy has achieved an absurd stage of effectivity as a passer early on within the 2023 marketing campaign. The best way McCarthy has achieved that is very translatable throughout conditions and matchups.
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McCarthy is a high-level inventive power, with an elastic, high-velocity arm. And past that, he’s an anticipatory, manipulative pocket passer with newfound poise and mechanical self-discipline.
If McCarthy can maintain this operational development by the whole lot of 2023, it’ll be onerous to poke holes in his profile. By seeing by that growth, he can lock in a spot as a Spherical 1 quarterback prospect within the 2024 NFL Draft.
