Minnesota Vikings are betting favorite to draft Michigan QB JJ McCarthy
J.J. McCarthy could don the purple and yellow soon enough as the Minnesota Vikings are the betting favorites to draft the Michigan quarterback.
The Vikings, who acquired an additional first round pick last week, appear to be setting up a move to move into the top 10 to get a new franchise quarterback. Who that will be remains to be seen.
However, McCarthy is the favorite to be the Vikings’ new signal caller, replacing Kirk Cousins.
“The betting odds have the Vikings as the favorites to land McCarthy,” Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk wrote. “They’re at -115 to be the team to draft McCarthy.”
The top three teams in the draft are the Bears, Commanders and Patriots, all whom have eyes on quarterbacks.
Caleb Williams is expected to go No. 1 overall while Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye will likely go No. 2 and 3 in some order. Where does McCarthy fit in the picture now and is he the Vikings’ top target?
The betting odds say so, but it looks like Minnesota has to trade up to No. 4, at least, to get their desired quarterback. If it’s McCarthy, that might be the place to go.
If the Vikings don’t draft McCarthy, the New York Giants have the next-best odds to draft him at +350. They’re followed by the Broncos at +430 and the Patriots at +900. The Patriots one is interesting since one of Daniels or Maye will still be on the board when it’s their turn at No. 3 overall.
McCarthy led Michigan to an undefeated season and a national championship in his final season in Ann Arbor. He finished his college career with 6,226 yards, 49 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 67.6% completion percentage.
Once the season ended, McCarthy steadily rose up draft boards and it could just be that the Vikings have their eye on him more so than others.
College football analyst Joel Klatt reacted to McCarthy’s showing in Indianapolis during the NFL Scouting Combine, giving his take on where he sees the national champion quarterback landing in the draft and playing at the next level.
“J.J. McCarthy is going to be a really good NFL quarterback, okay? Those of you that want to be a hater of JJ McCarthy, that’s fine,” Klatt said. “I’m gonna be pretty surprised if he’s not drafted in the first 15 picks, I might be surprised if he’s not taken in the top 10. That’s the type of momentum he’s generating.”