The 2024 NFL Draft is approaching and while Caleb Williams seems to be a lock for number one pick, it’s who comes next the big question around the football world. Washington has the second overall pick and they will go for a QB. Originally, it seemed like North Carolina’s Drake Maye would go second. However, every NFL Draft has one guy that pops up in the offseason, whether it’s pro-days or combine performances. This year, Michigan’s JJ McCarthy saw his stock go through the roof.
That begs the question, if it’s Maye vs. McCarthy, which QB Draft Prospect has more star potential?
The Odds on Who Goes to the Washington Commanders?
It’s a new era for the Washington Commanders from top to bottom. There are new owners, new head coach, offensive coordinator and now there will be a new signal-caller. They even traded Sam Howell away, meaning it’s a matter of urgency. They signed veteran Marcus Mariota, but that’s not a QB you want to start a new era with.
Hence, all eyes are on who will the Commanders pick in the Draft. Drake Maye is a really good prospect and was poised to be selected just after Caleb Williams. However, through combines, pro-days and Jim Harbaugh hyping him up, JJ McCarthy started popping as a top option for the Commanders.
Of course, betting is a big part of the NFL now. It is also a somewhat reliable point of balance as to what will happen. However, it’s the massive line shift in JJ McCarthy that caught everyone’s eye. Post Super Bowl, the odds for Maye to be a 1-3 draft pick were juiced to the moon. JJ McCarthy wasn’t even in the picture. Now, you can find McCarthy, Maye and even Jayden Daniels in very tight odds to see who goes second.
Drake Maye Pros & Cons
At face value, Drake Maye would poise as the QB with a higher upside. He ended his college career with 8.018 yds, 63 TDs and 16 interceptions, completing a 65% of his throws. Maye has a perfect frame for the modern QB. He has huge arm strength, he is mobile and very good pocket presence. His upside is really something worth considering. His decision-making is not perfect, but he can develop and become a better reader of defenses while he develops in the NFL.
Maye is not perfect, of course. As just stated, his decision-making will sometimes baffle you. He has that ‘I gotta play Superman’ attitude, similar to Josh Allen in Buffalo. This means he will try to force throws, try to penetrate tight windows and look at the big play instead of getting what the defense gives you.
JJ McCarthy Pros & Cons
If we talk accomplishments, JJ McCarthy clears Maye easily. He won the Natty with Michigan last season and this also helped propel his profile in the draft boards. Statistically, his numbers are very short if you compare them to Maye’s. He ended with 6.226 yds, 49 TDs and 11 interceptions, completing 67.6% of his passes. Michigan used a run-heavy offense with Harbaugh’s system being a pragmatical one. Thus, McCarthy didn’t need to play hero ball. His strengths rely on his passing form, from the whip to the angles, he can fit the ball in tight spaces. He is fast, has good pocket awareness, reads defenses in better fashion than Maye, and processes the progressions faster.
As for his weaknesses. We don’t know how he responds to the pressure of having to carry a team, Michigan was run-based and it is a top program, a juggernaut. Also, when he gets pressured, his release is not as crisp, sometimes his motion seems to get paused mid-pass. Even if he reads the defenses well pre-snap, if a defender is sharp, McCarthy won’t see the adjustment and is susceptible to picks. He is a safer QB than Maye, not that much of a gunslinger, but also has a way lower ceiling, on paper.
Maye vs. McCarthy: Who is the Better QB?
Drake Maye is the better prospect overall. He has a higher upside, which is what you really want in your future franchise QB. Not everyone can be a CJ Stroud that just balls out from the first snap. But you try to have a guy who has the potential to become a top 10 QB. Maye has that, McCarthy doesn’t.
For the Commanders, they will give their new QB solid weapons. Terry McLaurin is a certified WR1 and Jahan Dotson is a very solid number 2. They also signed veterans TE Zach Ertz and RB Austin Ekeler to add to the fire. They’ve also reinforced their offensive line, which was dreadful last year. If you have all this, you better stick with the guy with the more upside. Plus, new OC Kliff Kingsbury has worked with lots of talented QBs even though his Arizona tenure wasn’t good. Maye is the better prospect.
About the Author
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