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Mike Fanelli looks at two quarterback prospects for the 2024 NFL Draft and compares their upside. What are the outlooks for Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy in the NFL?
The 2024 NFL Draft is nearly here. There are four quarterbacks expected to be top-10 picks. Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels are near locks to be the first and second overall selections, respectively.
Meanwhile, Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy could be the third and fourth overall picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. While many agree these four quarterbacks are the top four in the draft class, who should have the title of QB3?
Let’s dive into the NFL Draft outlook for Maye and McCarthy.
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Drake Maye’s NFL Draft Outlook
Maye was once considered a lock to be the second overall pick in the NFL Draft. The North Carolina star was outstanding in his first year as the starter. He completed 66.2% of his pass attempts for 4,321 yards and 38 touchdowns, compared to only seven interceptions as a redshirt freshman in 2022. The star quarterback also had nearly 700 rushing yards and seven scores that season.
While many believed he would have been the top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Maye had to return to school for one more year. Unfortunately, his production took a hit after losing Josh Downs and other critical parts of the offense to the NFL. He completed 63.3% of his pass attempts for 3,608 yards and 24 touchdowns, compared to nine interceptions last season. Yet, Maye showed elite upside, including the ability to throw a touchdown pass with his left hand.
Drake Maye just threw a touchdown pass with his left hand….
He’s a right handed quarterback
pic.twitter.com/sJ48quf0nf— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) September 24, 2023
J.J. McCarthy’s NFL Draft Outlook
McCarthy’s draft stock has shot up draft boards over the past few months. After playing a critical role in Michigan winning the national championship, the star quarterback was considered a late first-round NFL Draft pick. However, the more coaches got involved in the draft process, the higher McCarthy went up on draft boards.
Many mock drafts have the former Wolverine coming off the board in the top-five picks, most of the time to the Minnesota Vikings. Some believe he will get selected by the New England Patriots with the third overall pick. McCarthy didn’t put up big-time numbers in college but was outstanding on downfield passes.
J.J. McCarthy on 20+ Yard Throws this season:
🎯 92.5 Passing Grade
🎯 10 Touchdowns
🎯 1 Interception
🎯 128.9 Passer Rating pic.twitter.com/cAKhI5x8Mf— PFF College (@PFF_College) January 5, 2024
Who Should Get Drafted First?
Both quarterbacks deserve to be first-round draft picks. Maye and McCarthy will be top-five selections with several teams needing help at the quarterback position. However, which one should get drafted first?
The betting market is convinced Maye will get picked ahead of McCarthy. The North Carolina star could be the second overall pick. While McCarthy might be the better quarterback in a few years, Maye should and will get drafted ahead of him.
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