The Minnesota Vikings traded up to select J.J. McCarthy with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday, setting off a string of reactions on the ex-Michigan Wolverines quarterback’s new fit.
Jim Harbaugh, McCarthy’s coach in Ann Arbor, has previously referred to him as “the best quarterback in the draft.” The signal-caller is now on his way to the Twin Cities, which is a rookie quarterback’s paradise.
The now-Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh’s response to McCarthy’s nomination went viral on X on Friday. In it, Harbaugh talked about his “love” for the quarterback for the Wolverines, who won a national championship.
McCarthy was drafted by the team that Harbaugh most wanted to play for at the next level, and the coach expressed his excitement for the La Grange Park, Illinois native by saying he “love(s) McCarthy like a son”.
McCarthy also got a shout-out from current Michigan football head coach Sherrone Moore, who reiterated that the Vikings were McCarthy’s dream destination.
“It’s been a long process to see it happen but I knew that’s where he wanted to go,” Moore said on “The Rich Eisen Show” Friday.
Eisen asked Moore how he knew Minnesota was McCarthy’s preferred destination.
“I mean the weapons that they have on offense, the offensive line, the receivers obviously,” Moore said. “JJ throwing to JJ (Justin Jefferson) now and you know Aaron Jones being there at running back, and knew they were stocked.”
Moore then elaborated on how McCarthy will mesh with the Vikings.
“Coach (Kevin) O’Connell does such a great job developing quarterbacks,” Moore said, “so he was so excited for him, and you know, JJ fell in love with that and kind of knew he wanted to go there from the start.”
Moore also recounted a story about a game that had previously been used to undermine McCarthy’s achievements at Michigan: a 24–15 victory over Penn State at Happy Valley. The Wolverines took the ball away from their outstanding quarterback in the game by running it 32 times in a row.
The next day, McCarthy allegedly questioned the Michigan coach, who momentarily replaced Harbaugh while he was suspended, “Do you not believe in me?” Moore responded in kind.
“He asked me that question and I said, ‘No,’ I just felt like that’s what we needed to do to win at that time,” Moore recalled.
“I’ve always believed in JJ, in every sense of the word,” he stated.
