Seeing Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy is also visiting the Commanders facility in Ashburn, this week, what does a film evaluation reveal about McCarthy?
Former Washington Redskins tight end Chris Cooley, a guest on the “Kevin Sheehan Show” podcast, shared his evaluations from his film review of the Michigan quarterback, expected to be drafted in the first round next Thursday night.
“J.J McCarthy was really a lot more interesting to me on film than I thought he was going to be,” began Cooley. He agreed Michigan was a run-heavy team and so the temptation is to simply look at McCarthy as a game manager. “But when you really start to watch, he will make big plays, big throws in big moments of games.”
“He can throw balls into the tightest windows with precise accuracy. He is very, very accurate with the football. I think he has a toughness to him. He has the ability to run. He is an athlete.”
“He has great agility. He can move out of the pocket and throw the ball with quite a bit of accuracy as well. But some of his stuff in the middle of the field is really special.” Cooley then elaborated saying McCarthy throwing slants, digs, underneath quick stuff, is really accurate.
“He does have a rifle, bullet zip on the football; it’s coming out hard…Him throwing an 18-yard comeback; the receiver almost has to turn around before he throws it because that sucker is on you…Oh, he’s got a big-time arm. There is no doubt about it.”
“He will get fixated on a read, and he is not as quick through his reads. Cooley expressed he “hates” Michigan’s offense.
“They are an effective run team. They had more seven and eight-man protections and two and three-man concepts down the field than anybody in college football. Had to be.”
“I think he is going to need a ton of work to go through progressions, to learn how to go deep to short, different levels. I haven’t seen enough of it.”
Cooley is high on McCarthy, but he did say that if selecting No. 2 overall, he would still take Jayden Daniels over McCarthy. He did clarify his comment, saying, “It (No. 2 pick overall) is not too early for McCarthy if Jayden Daniels is not on the board and Drake Maye is not on the board.”
“It’s too early for me to take a flyer on intangibles and a lot of football unknowns, when I watch Jayden Daniels on film. Jayden Daniels would really have to suck in an interview. I would have to spend a day with this kid and say I can’t stand him, he is not our dude. That, I would have to know to make that decision (McCarthy at No.2).”
“I think this is an easy one out of those two, but I will also watch Drake Maye.”