Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy is reportedly “50/50” on whether to enter the NFL Draft, according to a report Saturday.
Yet many fans and analysts believe McCarthy’s decision will be 100 percent influenced by Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh’s own decision on whether to stay in Ann Arbor or leave for an NFL job.
Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline reported that McCarthy, who helped lead the Wolverines to the CFP National Championship on Monday, is “still considering his options” but is 50-50 on whether to enter the draft or return to Michigan.
The 20-year-old McCarthy has seen his draft stock rise considerably in recent weeks, moving from a likely second-round pick into the first round in projections, possibly even into the top 10.
McCarthy’s draft stock may never be higher, as anything less than a national championship next season would be viewed as a disappointment. And if Harbaugh bolts for the NFL, things could get rocky for Michigan.
That’s why many believe McCarthy is waiting on Harbaugh’s decision to influence his own future. If Harbaugh stays in Michigan, that wouldn’t necessarily be enough to bring McCarthy back, but if Harbaugh leaves, McCarthy might follow soon behind.
That’s the consensus on X/Twitter, anyway.
I’m sure Harbaugh will, or already does, have an idea of what he’s gonna do and let him know before deadline.
— Jake (@j_rosen12) January 13, 2024
in other words: if harbaugh stays, so is jj. i think jj could really benefit from staying another year in general but i guess we’ll see https://t.co/nL4iBftE9H
— Aly (Thibodeaux Enthusiast) (@amiablexaly) January 13, 2024
if he doesn’t declare, and is forced to pass significantly more often on a weaker Wolverines team, he could massively tank his draft stock https://t.co/KUa7DSt6Nx
— Jonathan 🔥 (@JonathanNFL_) January 13, 2024
JJ McCarthy, Shedeur Sanders, Quinn Ewers, and Carson Beck all going back to school would be a HUGE hit for the depth of this QB Class. https://t.co/8pKQTi1tzD
— Monte (@MONTECRI5TO) January 13, 2024
50/50 also fits his completion percentage https://t.co/EkbTSl4v54
— KD (@notkdk3) January 13, 2024
