J.J. McCarthy shares Jim Harbaugh encouraged him to enter NFL Draft

Former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy declared for the 2024 NFL draft after leading the Wolverines to the national title this past season.

A nudge from former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh apparently factored into McCarthy’s decision.

Harbaugh advised J.J. McCarthy to turn pro, McCarthy shared at the NFL combine on Friday. That ultimately made the choice an easy one for him.

“It was quite easy, honestly,” J.J. McCarthy said of his decision to turn pro, according to On3’s Anthony Broome. “He was like, ‘Hey, I’m out here thinking of you if you were my son.’ And he told me ‘I want you to go because of your draft stock. It could get higher, but not that much higher. And it’s just an opportunity you don’t want to pass up.’ Just hearing that from him just gave me so much more confidence because that was kind of where my head was leaning towards. So just hearing that was amazing.”

McCarthy passed for 2,991 yards, with 22 touchdowns and four interceptions last season. He didn’t put up monster stats the way that Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels did, but he did go undefeated and lead his team to a national title.

McCarthy is expected to go in the top 15 picks of April’s draft, and he believes that he has proven he is a winner.

“Stats, for me, wasn’t the big thing,” McCarthy said, according to Broome. “All I cared about was being the best teammate I could be. Being the best quarterback I could be, whatever is asked of me. The only stat I cared about was winning, and we did pretty good in that category.”

J.J. McCarthy reacts to possibility of facing Jim Harbaugh twice per year

Amid the wide range of potential landing spots in the NFL for former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, the Las Vegas Raiders have emerged as a possibility to select him with the No. 13 overall pick. Speaking with reporters at the 2024 NFL Combine, McCarthy reflected on what would be a unique aspect of that selection.

If McCarthy ends up as a quarterback for the Raiders, he’d get to face his former college coach Jim Harbaugh, now leading the Los Angeles Chargers, twice a season. McCarthy readily acknowledged that would be a bit of a trip.

“That would be a little interesting, looking across the field and seeing him in the baby blue. But it would be an honor, just being on that field in general,” McCarthy said. “No matter who is across the sideline. But there would definitely be some nice, emotional hugs afterwards.”