NFL Draft: JJ McCarthy gets close to AFC Team

With the 2024 edition of the NFL Draft just around the corner, speculation and rumors will be all over the internet. As we’ve seen multiple times in the past, pretty much anything can happen at this point.

Notably, Michigan star JJ McCarthy has stolen most of the headlines as of late. Even though he’s still not on the same tier as Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye, he’s been a quick riser in recent mocks.

McCarthy has drawn plenty of league-wide interest. Recently, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton revealed that his team hosted the Michigan product for a pre-draft visit, perhaps to make him Russell Wilson’s replacement.

Broncos Host JJ McCarthy For Pre-Draft Visit

“I wasn’t at J.J.’s pro day, but we had a private the next day,” Payton said at the league’s annual meeting in Orlando on Monday, via Andrew Mason of DenverSports.com. “We sent him a bunch of information [and] spent four or five hours with him. And [we] made him throw all over again. I think it’s all part of the process.”

Sean Payton, head coach of the Denver Broncos

GM George Paton was less enthusiastic about it, revealing that the team held multiple players who play different positions for visits, perhaps trying not to show his hand:

“I don’t want to get into the workouts guys,” Paton said. “I’m glad Sean told everyone. But he’s a very nice young man. We’ve done private workouts with other players at other positions. We had a good visit.”

Some analysts thought McCarthy was going to be a late-first or second-round pick. Now, it seems like he could sneak his way into the top 10, with others thinking he could go as high as No. 2.

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Broncos: Sean Payton may be contemplating another starting quarterback decision

The Broncos won’t be on the clock until No. 12, so they will have to trade up if they want to get him. Still, they’re several pieces away from contention, so that might not be in their best interest right now.