Report: J.J. McCarthy Would Rank over Shedeur Sanders, Ward by Several Execs, Coaches
Joseph Zucker@@JosephZucker
Featured Columnist IVJanuary 7, 2025
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy hasn't played a meaningful snap in the NFL, yet he compares favorably to the QB prospects coming into the league, according to The Athletic's Jeff Howe.
"McCarthy would rank as the No. 1 quarterback if he were in the 2025 draft class, according to several executives and coaches who have evaluated Miami's Cam Ward and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders," Howe reported Tuesday.
A detail like that can be read in one of two ways.
Opinions around the NFL continue to be high on McCarthy, who has been sidelined all year due to a torn meniscus. Maybe it's not a bad idea to let Sam Darnold walk, despite him performing at a Pro Bowl level, and seeing what you have with the 2024 first-rounder.
Minnesota could go in the complete opposite direction and make Darnold their long-term solution at quarterback. Howe wrote how the Vikings "would certainly have a market if they decided to move McCarthy."
It's almost never a good sign when a first-round quarterback is being traded this early into his career. But those instances are almost always due to the player struggling on the field and failing to meet expectations. With McCarthy, the upside is still there because we haven't seen him in action outside of the preseason.
Minnesota Vikings @Vikings.<a href="https://twitter.com/jjmccarthy09?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jjmccarthy09</a>'s throw.<br><br>Trishton's catch.<a href="https://twitter.com/JJettas2?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JJettas2</a>'s reaction.<br><br>Everything about this video is gold.<br><br>Absolute gold.<br><br>📺: <a href="https://twitter.com/FOX9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FOX9</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/nflnetwork?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NFLNetwork</a> <a href="https://t.co/qVMMx4e5BY">pic.twitter.com/qVMMx4e5BY</a>
There isn't a surefire can't-miss prospect at quarterback in the 2025 draft. Ward is the best at the position and ranks sixth overall in Bleacher Report's newest big board, while Sanders is second and comes in at No. 16 overall. Georgia's Carson Beck (No. 37) and Alabama's Jalen Milroe (No. 42) are the only other QBs in the top 50.
Ward and Sanders figure to go pretty high based on the value of the quarterback position. A lot of teams in the top 10 of the draft will need to add a QB in some way this offseason, too.
For general managers picking in the latter half of the first round, convincing the Vikings to part with McCarthy might be a smarter play than reaching for the best quarterback on the board.
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