With the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings selected Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy. The Vikings made sure they could get their guy, moving up one spot in the draft order in a trad with the New York Jets to ensure no one jumped them for the Wolverines signal caller.
Minnesota is hopeful that JJ McCarthy will become their long-term answer under center. They made a major change this offseason, allowing Kirk Cousins to depart in free agency and putting all of their eggs into McCarthy’s basket.
What can they expect to see from him? In the opinion of his quarterback coach John Beck, who played in the NFL from 2007-2011, anyone from the Mike Shanahan coaching tree is going to be a big fan of JJ McCarthy.
“All of the coaches in the Shanahan tree are going to love this kid,” Beck told his colleagues at the time, per The Athletic’s Alec Lewis.
Beck was a quarterback under Shanahan in 2011 in Washington. Beck began working with JJ McCarthy when he was an incoming freshman in 2021 and is high on him as a player.
He was asked about quarterbacks McCarthy could be compared to in the NFL. Beck came up with an intriguing one, as he believes his student is similar to Jay Cutler.
“The very same things that made Mike Shanahan like Jay Cutler and take him as a first-rounder are going to be some of the things people in this tree will see when he comes out of college,” Beck said. “He has a combination of arm strength, being able to drive balls to certain locations on the field, tied together with the ability to utilize athleticism in the keeper and play-pass game.” (H/T Heavy)
Some fans may be weary of a Cutler comparison, but Beck points out some similarities in their game. Both are athletic pocket passers who are confident in themselves to make any throw on the field. Both have excellent leadership qualities, which you need from a quarterback.
JJ McCarthy isn’t a finished product, but there is a lot to like and work with. The Minnesota Vikings should exhibit some patience with him, even if he is named the starter for Week 1 of the 2024 season.
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