As we all know, former New England Patriots great Tom Brady went to Michigan. Could the Patriots find their next great franchise QB from Michigan? You have to wonder if McCarthy gets the Michigan bump the New England Patriots franchise, who drafted Tom Brady over two decades ago.
And now, there is a notable NFL Draft prospect who happens to play QB and who also happens to be from Michigan. Could JJ McCarthy be the next Michigan QB to play for the New England Patriots? Well, he visited with them on Monday. That could mean something, but it could also mean nothing. I am sure the Patriots are truly doing their homework and leaving their options open with the third overall pick.
However, it does seem to be the popular take among the scouting world that Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels are the three best QBs in the 2024 NFL Draft. The next tier seems to be JJ McCarthy, Bo Nix, and Michael Penix Jr. Taking McCarthy third overall would probably be an overdraft, but you can't help but wonder if it's a legitimate option.
And with the way the sports world works, you best bet that the second McCarthy gets drafted by the Patriots, Tom Brady's name will be thrust back into the mix again. "Wow, they took Tom Brady who went to Michigan in the NFL Draft years ago, and now will take another Michigan QB in JJ McCarthy."
Something like that might be the popular line of thinking, and it wouldn't really be fair to McCarthy at all. Brady is arguably the greatest athlete ever, and McCarthy would be entering the NFL as a 21-year-old rookie on a horribly weak offensive roster. However, while I don't think the Patriots end up drafting McCarthy, you have to wonder if the team is seriously considering it, and just how much him being from Michigan is impacting their opinion.