(Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
This weekend saw the NFL’s first full slate of preseason games, and a number of highly touted rookie quarterbacks made their pro debut.
J.J. McCarthy, the No. 10 pick in April’s draft, got a sizable number of snaps for the Minnesota Vikings, and he went 11 of 17 for 188 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in a 24-23 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell went on “The Pat McAfee Show” and praised the rookie’s performance on Saturday.
“I thought JJ McCarthy played really well against the Raiders..
It was great for his first time out and I was proud of the way he played” ~ @KevOC7 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/iCfkkFZmvJ
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 12, 2024
Even though McCarthy is fresh off leading the University of Michigan to a win in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, there have been questions about whether his play would translate to the NFL.
At Michigan, he played in a run-heavy system under then-head coach Jim Harbaugh, and now, he’s playing for a team that ranked fourth in passing attempts last season.
While McCarthy saw his stock rise considerably going into the draft, he also became arguably the most polarizing prospect because of the offense he played while with the Wolverines.
If he does succeed at a high enough level this season, however, it isn’t hard to imagine Minnesota making the playoffs.
They have arguably the best wide receiver in the world in Justin Jefferson, a legitimate WR2 in Jordan Addison and a stud at tight end in T.J. Hockenson.
Their defense is a question mark, especially after they lost Pro Bowl pass rusher Danielle Hunter during the offseason, but they certainly seem to have the firepower to reach the postseason.
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