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Scott Zolak changes his tune on potential Patriots draft pick J.J. McCarthy
"He may have the best footwork and feet and weight transfer and mechanics that I've seen in a guy in a couple years."
Few players in this 2024 NFL Draft class have seen their stock soar as high as J.J. McCarthy over the last few months.
Once tabbed as a potential second or third-round pick, the Michigan QB has cultivated plenty of hype as a first-round selection after leading the Wolverines to a national championship in January.
And while McCarthy (2,991 passing yards) wasn’t exactly the focal point of Michigan’s run-heavy offense, the 21-year-old quarterback’s leadership traits, athleticism, arm, and mechanics have drawn rave reviews in the weeks leading up to April’s draft.
Several mock drafts now have McCarthy tabbed as a potential top-five pick next month, potentially putting him in the conversation as a target for the Patriots with their No. 3 pick.
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Count former Patriots QB and current radio host Scott Zolak among those buying into the hype with McCarthy.
“I think we might have a believer in Scott Zolak now in J.J. McCarthy,” Zolak’s co-host, Marc Bertrand, said Monday during “Zolak & Bertrand” on 98.5 The Sports Hub.
Like many talent evaluators and scouts, Zolak admitted during Monday’s show that he wasn’t very high on McCarthy early on the draft process — especially when compared to other top QBs in this class like USC’s Caleb Williams, LSU’s Jayden Daniels, and UNC’s Drake Maye.
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“I would like to apologize to my Michigan friends for my slander on this kid throughout the last month and a half,” Zolak said Monday of McCarthy. “Because everybody that has been in the league and covered the league told me it’s a three-man race or even maybe a two-man race and there’s this drastic drop-off from three to four and McCarthy’s in that second-tier group of guys.”
Even though most of the rationale for McCarthy’s rise up the draft leaderboards revolves around his intangibles and athleticism, Zolak was smitten after watching McCarthy’s recent workouts — especially after examining his footwork and intensity.
“I’m scrolling through all these videos of J.J. McCarthy’s workout. … I’ve watched clips of Caleb Williams,” Zolak said. “I’ve watched clips of other guys. … All of McCarthy’s drops — 100% full throttle. Like, it’s a go. It’s violent dropbacks, spin rates, and getting outside the pocket. He may have the best footwork and feet and weight transfer and mechanics that I’ve seen in a guy in a couple years.
“I mean, you remember watching Trevor Lawrence and [Justin] Herbert when those guys were coming out — how good they looked in personal workouts. I was ignorant to this kid. And I apologize for that. I think he’s in the mix. I do now. I think based on his moxie, the way he holds a room, his leadership qualities, the fact he’s a winner — teams like that.
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“And just watching him here. Watch his feet compared to Caleb Williams’ feet in his workout. … Last week we watched a couple of Caleb Williams throws — high over the middle, late to the outside. He’s turning around. He’s joking. He’s laughing with guys. It seems like this kid is pretty serious about it.”
McCarthy threw at Michigan’s pro day on Friday, with Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reporting that director of scouting Eliot Wolf, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, quarterbacks coach T.C. McCartney, and head coach Jerod Mayo were among the Patriots personnel on hand to watch the QB.
With McCarthy soaring up the draft leaderboards, the Patriots may have to take McCarthy with their No. 3 pick if they are as impressed with him as Zolak is.
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