DENVER — We know Sean Payton was interested enough in J.J. McCarthy to show up.
“I wasn’t at J.J.’s pro day, but we had a private (workout with him) the next day where we sent him a bunch of information, spent four or five hours with him, just made him throw all over again,’’ said Payton, the Broncos’ head coach and overall football boss, of the first-round quarterback prospect from Michigan, during the AFC coaches breakfast last month in Orlando, Fla. “I think it’s all part of the process. I think it can lead to a more efficient and effective decision.”
The Broncos have the No. 12 overall draft pick, and no more than Jarrett Stidham under consideration for the starting quarterback job among those currently on their roster. The NFL Draft is two weeks away, with six quarterbacks currently rated as potential first-round prospects. The most typical order of those six QBs: Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, McCarthy, Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr.
Penix is coming off two terrific seasons at Washington and would be ranked higher if not for his scary medical history that ended his four seasons at Indiana.
> The video above aired March 26: 1-on-1 with Broncos CEO Greg Penner
Williams seems certain to go No. 1 to Chicago, especially after the Bears traded away three-year incumbent and former first-round draft pick Justin Fields. No. 2 Washington figures to pick Daniels or Maye with No. 3 New England expected to take Maye or Daniels.
Then comes McCarthy, Nix and Penix in the second-wave with the next bunch of QB-needy teams being No. 11 Minnesota, No. 12 Denver and the No. 13 Las Vegas Raiders.
That might not be the draft order in two weeks. If McCarthy is indeed the No. 4 quarterback from this year’s draft class, a trade up might be necessary.
We look at him first. McCarthy has the most pedestrian passing statistics from this year’s first-round quarterback’s group but is also the biggest winner. He is also the youngest of the top quarterback prospects at 21 years, 3 months come draft day.
A two-year starter at Michigan, McCarthy never threw for as many as 3,000 yards, or 25 touchdowns or rushed for 310 yards. Each of the other five have more glittering stats on their resumes.
But none of the other five were 27-1 as a starter the past two years. Two seasons that ended with a Final Four loss to TCU (in which McCarthy threw for 343 yards and 2 touchdowns with 2 interceptions and rushed for 52 yards and another score) and a 34-13 thumping of Washington and Penix In the NCAA championship game (in which McCarthy was asked to do little more than manage, completing 10 of 18 for 140 yards).
“For me, it wasn’t really the big thing,’’ McCarthy said of his modest passing numbers during his NFL Combine press conference March 1. “All I cared about was being the best teammate I could possibly be, being the best quarterback I could possibly be, whatever’s asked of me. The only stat I cared about was W’s and we did pretty good in that category.’’
During his Combine presser, McCarthy spoke of his formal meeting that week with the Broncos.
“It was awesome,’’ McCarthy said. “Coach Payton's energy, coach (Davis) Webb, coach (Joe) Lombardi, it was just really great to be in that room with them and go through tape. It was honestly a really fun time. So it was a blessing to just, you know, pick their brains a little bit and have them just shoot me questions left and right. I really enjoyed it.’’
Can he see himself playing for Sean Payton?
“Fellow Illinois guy, absolutely would be an honor to play for him,’’ said McCarthy, who hails from the Chicago suburb of LaGrange, while Payton grew up down the road in Naperville. “Everything about this process has been so great, and any team who selects me, it'd be an honor.’’
Keep in mind, McCarthy had flattering words for all the teams he met with.
The Raiders: "Loved all the coaches. They just have great energy, great questions, great interaction. It would mean a lot to play with those guys, but it would mean a lot to play with any one of the great players in the NFL, but it was awesome.”
The Patriots: “Coach Mayo, just awesome guy asking really great questions. You could definitely tell he's been around this process a long time and been a part of it. Just great interactions. Again, would be an honor to be part of their organization.’’
The Buccaneers (before they re-signed Baker Mayfield): “Amazing, once again, great interactions, great guys. Like I said before, it would be a blessing to be able to play for them.’’
He also said nice things about his formal meetings with the Giants, Bears, Vikings and Washington.
The Combine is one big job interview for draft prospects and McCarthy, who is wise and mature beyond his years, knew how to sell himself.
“I would say, tough, gritty guy who only cares about winning at the end of the day,’’ McCarthy said when asked of his own scouting report. “Loves the game of football with a burning passion, loves his teammates. Just pretty much everything you'd want in a starting quarterback.’’
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