Daniel Jones had his fifth NFL season cut short due to injury. The 2019 first-round draft pick ended up appearing in six games last season.
Jones signed a four-year contract extension in 2023, but injuries and an overall disappointing performance this past season have put his future with the New York Giants in question. Quarterback prospects for the upcoming NFL Draft dominate most of the NFL offseason discussion.
Former USC star Caleb Williams is widely expected to be the first draft pick when the draft begins later this month, but JJ McCarthy’s stock appears to continue to rise.
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Former New York Giants running back Atim Kiambu “Tiki” Barber visits “Morning with Maria” at the Fox News Channel Studios on October 29, 2019 in New York City. (Stephen Feldman/Getty Images)
McCarthy led the Michigan Wolverines to the College Football Playoff national championship in January and was widely expected to be the fourth-best quarterback prospect in this year’s highly anticipated draft.
Former NFL first-round draft pick Brady Quinn predicts University of Michigan’s JJ McCarthy to be in top 10
The Giants finished the season with a 6-11 record and hold the No. 6 overall pick in the draft. Some believe the Giants will use their draft pick on a quarterback, and McCarthy could be taken at No. 6. But Giants legend Tiki Barber has no interest in seeing McCarthy pose for a photo at MetLife Stadium in a Giants uniform.
“It’s not happening. I’m just saying. It’s not happening,” Barber said. “I don’t need him. That’s not going to happen.”
Barber argued that McCarthy’s skillets don’t translate to the NFL level and suggested that much of the positive attention McCarthy is receiving is due to former coach Jim Harbaugh.
Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh speaks with No. 9 JJ McCarthy during a timeout against the Indiana Hoosiers at Michigan Stadium on October 14, 2023 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Gregory Shams/Getty Images)
“I’m tired of hearing about JJ McCarthy. Stop talking about JJ McCarthy,” Barber said. “His film doesn’t say he’s a first-round quarterback. His film doesn’t say, ‘We need to get rid of all our assets and draft this guy.’ Because a lot of what he does doesn’t translate.” The plan he ran at the University of Michigan — and perhaps this is an indictment on the plan, not necessarily against him — but it is What you have to do, 2nd and 3rd level reads, didn’t emphasize the multiple combo routes you have to do. “It has to be right. He didn’t do any of that. They were run-based, and he was successful there because he was good at it. That’s what Jim Harbaugh wanted him to do. did.”
“To me, the J.J. McCarthy thing is like a smokescreen. He’s overhyped because Jim Harbaugh won’t stop talking about him. Now, all of a sudden, he’s a top-four quarterback. Is that so? I don’t believe that.”
Michigan Wolverines No. 9 JJ McCarthy warms up before a college football game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Michigan Stadium on November 4, 2023 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)
North Carolina signal caller Drake Maye and LSU’s Jaden Daniels are expected to hear their names called immediately after Williams crosses the stage at the draft in Detroit. Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was also considered in the first round, but his injury history could keep him out for some teams.
The Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos remain as potential teams to trade to draft a quarterback, but New York could also be looking for Jones’ replacement. Kirk Cousins signed with the Atlanta Falcons in free agency, and the Broncos benched Russell Wilson during the season but later released him.
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During McCarthy’s tenure, Michigan relied heavily on its running backs, but the quarterback showed the ability to make accurate throws. He finished the 2023 season with a career-high 2,991 passing yards. Initially, McCarthy had multiple second- or third-round grades in draft analysis, but now it looks like he could be at least a top-10 prospect.
The NFL Draft begins on April 24th.
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