Raiders coach Antonio Pierce says J.J. McCarthy is a top-3 quarterback in NFL Draft
Maybe new Raiders coach Antonio Pierce is tipping his hand in regard to J.J. McCarthy, one of the most buzzed about prospects in the NFL Draft.
Earlier this week at the NFL owners meeting in Orlando, Pierce gave huge props to McCarthy, who helped lead Michigan to the college football championship back in January. Reporters in Orlando asked Pierce about quarterbacks available in the draft.
This is what he said about McCarthy.
“J.J. McCarthy, you’re talking about a National Champ, a winner,” the Raiders coach said. “So I don’t know how he’s not in the top three, if you want to be honest.”
Top three QBs in NFL Draft may be changing
The top three quarterbacks available for next month’s NFL Draft seem to have been locked in throughout the scouting process. Caleb Williams should go No. 1 to the Chicago Bears. But there is some discussion about who the second guy might be. The Commanders, with the second pick, also are looking for a quarterback. They could go with North Carolina’s Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels, LSU’s Heisman winner. The Patriots pick next and New England likely will go with a quarterback.
So if the Raiders head coach believes McCarthy is among the top three, then that means McCarthy would bump either Maye or Daniels. In fact, Bucky Brooks, a draft analyst for NFL Network, thinks it’ll be Maye. In his most recent mock draft, Brooks projects that the Patriots will go with the former Wolverines star, with Maye dropping to the Vikings at No. 11.
Brooks wrote of McCarthy and the Patriots: “Given Tom Brady’s success with the Patriots, taking McCarthy — the best quarterback in Michigan history – could be the move for (general manager) Eliot Wolf. Despite his inexperience as a passer, McCarthy’s athleticism, intangibles and winning pedigree could fit Jerod Mayo’s profile for a QB1. “
One draft expert says Cardinals will pull surprise, pick McCarthy, trade Kyler Murray
Meanwhile, ESPN NFL Insider Mike Tannenbaum predicted another wild scenario for McCarthy in his mock draft released this week. Tannenbaum believes McCarthy goes to Arizona at No. 4. See the issue there? The Cardinals already have Kyler Murray, the former No. 1 of the NFL Draft. Tannenbaum believes Arizona will trade Murray to be able to select McCarthy.
Now, would the Raiders use their first round draft pick to select a future NFL star quarterback? Las Vegas selects 13th. And the Raiders probably do need a quarterback. They waived Jimmy Garappolo and signed Gardner Minshew. The Raiders also have Aidan O’Connell, their fourth-round pick from last year’s NFL Draft.
Of course, now that McCarthy is such a hot prospect, the Raiders likely would need to trade up to draft him.