It's not uncommon for NFL prospects to be compared to NFL greats from their respective college programs, but it's another thing to be compared to the GOAT.
JJ McCarthy is expected to be a first-round draft pick in April after leading the Michigan Wolverines to a 15-0 season and a national championship in the College Football Playoff.
In two of the biggest drives of his life, McCarthy showed he has a flair for the dramatic.
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JJ McCarthy and Tom Brady (Getty Images)
With less than five minutes left in the Rose Bowl and leading Alabama 20-13, he marched his team onto the field and scored the game-tying touchdown. Blake Collum scored the winning goal in overtime.
They had a chance to beat Washington in the national championship game late, but it felt like deja vu all over again.
That's why Colm thinks McCarthy will “kill” in the NFL.
“JJ is just a great quarterback,” Colm recently told Fox News Digital. “I want to learn, I want to get better, and I won't stop until I do that. No matter what round he gets drafted, I think he's definitely a first-rounder, a great quarterback, and a great leader.”
Now, let's go back to the comparison notes. As much as USC's quarterbacks are clustered together, all of Alabama's receivers are compared to Julio Jones.
But Michigan's case is a little different.
JJ McCarthy of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates after defeating the Washington Huskies in the CFP National Championship game at NRG Stadium in Houston on January 8, 2024. (Gregory Shams/Getty Images)
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That's because Michigan is the alma mater of the greatest university in history. So when you compare Michigan's quarterback to other quarterbacks, someone in particular comes to mind, and it's always going to be an unfair comparison.
But Colm isn't afraid to give high praise to quarterbacks from recent years.
“He's going to have a very long career. He's probably going to be Tom Brady. We'll see,” he said.
In two seasons (29 games) as a full-time starter at Michigan, McCarthy completed 68.5 percent of his passes for 5,710 yards, 44 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. To be fair to Colm, while McCarthy has scored eight touchdowns over the past two seasons, those are all better numbers than Brady.
Tom Brady from his Michigan days is depicted. (John Bieber/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
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But, of course, Brady made a name for himself in the NFL. He was a sixth-round pick but became the GOAT with seven Super Bowl rings and countless NFL records. Clearly, Mr. McCarthy has a long way to go.
At least McCarthy can say he was the starting quarterback for the national champions — Brady was Brian Griese's backup in 1997.
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