NFL Draft: Where Will J.J. McCarthy End Up?

With the Super Bowl completed, it's officially NFL Draft season.

Similar to most offseasons, there are a bevy of teams that would benefit from selecting a quarterback in this year's draft. One of the notable QB prospects in this year's impressive class of signal-callers is former Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

Which teams are likely to take McCarthy in the 2024 draft? Using the NFL Draft odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, let's look at the odds to draft J.J. McCarthy and dive into some of the teams with the shortest odds.

Also, you can take a look at Jim Sannes' breakdown of this draft's QB class in addition to early analysis of the first round of the draft.

NFL Draft Betting

J.J. McCarthy NFL Draft Betting

Minnesota Vikings (+450)

The Minnesota Vikings are going to have some decisions to make at the quarterback position this offseason. Kirk Cousins is going to be 36 years old later this year, and the veteran quarterback is coming off a season-ending Achilles ailment as he hits free agency.

Before suffering the injury, Cousins was playing at a moderately high level, producing a +4.6% completion percentage over expected and 0.03 expected points added per drop back, per NextGenStats. However, with the Vikings' roster not in a position to compete for a Super Bowl just yet, Minnesota could elect to take a young quarterback to build around moving forward.

McCarthy makes sense for the Vikings -- who currently have the 11th overall pick -- if head coach Kevin O'Connell is looking to get a more mobile signal-caller who can extend plays with his legs. While Cousins can sometimes struggle when he's pressured, McCarthy logged the fourth-highest completion percentage (69.8%) and the fourth-most yards per attempt (10.0) among college quarterbacks with 100 pressured drop backs this past season, via PFF.

Getting a chance to throw passes to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson -- when Hockenson gets healthy -- would undoubtedly help McCarthy's development upon entering the NFL. Experience isn't an issue for McCarthy, either. Despite turning 21 years old in January, he started in 28 games for the Wolverines in college, which is one of the big positives in his prospect profile.

Denver Broncos (+600)

The relationship between head coach Sean Payton and veteran quarterback Russell Wilson doesn't seem to be one that can be mended this offseason. Wilson was benched by Payton late last year in Payton's first campaign coaching the Denver Broncos, which has led many to believe the team will be very active in the quarterback market in the coming months.

The Broncos are currently sitting right behind the Vikings, owning the No. 12 pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. If Denver catches wind that Minnesota is interested in selecting McCarthy, it may need to trade up if it is determined to add the enticing quarterback prospect out of Michigan.

In what could be his final season with the Broncos, Wilson recorded a forgettable -0.13 expected points added per drop back and a 44.9% passing success rate. With Wilson as their starting signal-caller in 2023, the Broncos registered the ninth-lowest pass rate over expected (-3.8%) in the league.

Payton clearly wants a quarterback who can run his offense efficiently, and he'll surely want to hand-pick his next quarterback. While the Broncos could have their sights on moving up for one of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, or Jayden Daniels, they may not be able to trade up to get those guys. If they can't, McCarthy is a prospect who could be on Payton's radar.

Las Vegas Raiders (+600)

The Las Vegas Raiders are tied for the second-shortest odds (+600) to be the team that selects McCarthy during this year's draft. When looking at the current quarterback depth chart for the Raiders, I would assume head coach Antonio Pierce realizes that neither Aidan O'Connell nor Jimmy Garoppolo are the long-term solutions under center.

Garoppolo signed a three-year, $72.75 million contract with the Raiders ahead of the 2023 season, only for him to start in six games before being benched in favor of O'Connell when Pierce became the interim coach. O'Connell showed minimal flashes in his rookie campaign, but he likely didn't do enough to warrant being the franchise quarterback when the 2024 season kicks off.

The Raiders are trying to build a winning culture with Pierce at the helm, which makes McCarthy a quarterback who could pique the interest of the rookie head coach. Not that wins should be a crucial stat when breaking down quarterbacks, but McCarthy tallied a 27-1 record as a starter in college and is coming off a National Championship victory.

When Pierce was officially named head coach of the Raiders, he revealed that he wants more explosive plays in the passing game. While McCarthy had only 46 deep pass attempts (attempts of 20-plus yards) in 2023, he completed 25 of them for 706 yards, 10 touchdowns, and one interception.

Looking for the latest NFL odds? Head over to FanDuel Sportsbook and check out all of the NFL betting options.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.