A new mock draft has the Denver Broncos taking a quarterback who has drawn comparisons to Cincinnati Bengals star Joe Burrow.
In his latest mock draft, Josh Edwards of CBS Sports had the Broncos selecting Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy with the 12th overall pick. ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller notes some executives think he would be a more coveted prospect if he played in a different offense.
“All the tools are there. They’re just kind of waiting to come out,” Miller said Tuesday on “The Matt Barrie Show.” “I’ve talked to so many scouts, one in particular, who said J.J. McCarthy would be Joe Burrow if he were on a team that threw the ball. There is a lot of love for J.J. McCarthy among the scouting community. He’s tough as hell, he’s got a big arm, he’s a very good athlete, and he’s coachable. That’s something that comes up all the time.”
During his final season at LSU in 2019, Burrow threw for 60 TDs and 5,671 yards, winning the Heisman trophy and a national championship. In four seasons with the Bengals, he’s guided the team to a Super Bowl LVI appearance and made a Pro Bowl.
McCarthy also led the Wolverines to a national title, but his numbers pale in comparison. He threw for 22 TDs and failed to surpass 3,000 passing yards.
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Burrow benefitted from having wide receivers Justin Jefferson (Vikings) and Ja’Marr Chase (Bengals), who became NFL stars. Still, the numbers suggest McCarthy’s less polished than Burrow was, and he must fine-tune his game.
Regardless, the Broncos must take a QB in the draft. They’ll probably release Russell Wilson this offseason. Backup Jarrett Stidham went 1-1 in two starts, posting a below-average 31 QBR.
McCarthy clearly has some upside head coach Sean Payton can’t ignore. If the Broncos take a flier on him, it’s not entirely unwarranted.
