NFL Draft 2024 Rumors: 'Multiple Teams' Have J.J. McCarthy Ranked Ahead of Drake Maye

The "Big Three" quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL draft may now be a "Big Four" thanks to the emergence of Michigan signal-caller J.J. McCarthy.

According to ESPN's Matt Miller, multiple teams have McCarthy ranked ahead of North Carolina's Drake Maye, who was once widely considered to be one of the top three quarterbacks in the draft along with USC's Caleb Williams and LSU's Jayden Daniels.

Miller noted that a high-ranking talent evaluator told him McCarthy grades out higher than Maye in terms of his "winning résumé, upside as a mobile QB and impeccable poise under pressure."

ESPN's Field Yates added that many NFL teams view the draft as having a clear top four quarterbacks with McCarthy joining the fray, and he noted that he would "not rule anything out" with McCarthy aside from the Chicago Bears taking him No. 1 overall since they seem locked in on Williams.

The 21-year-old McCarthy enjoyed a stellar collegiate career at Michigan, going 27-1 in his two seasons as a starter with two Big Ten title wins and two trips to the College Football Playoff.

Last season, the Wolverines went a perfect 15-0 and won the national championship with McCarthy playing a pivotal role.

McCarthy's numbers didn't jump off the page since Michigan employed a run-first offense, but he still completed 72.3 percent of his passing attempts for 2,991 yards, 22 touchdowns and just four interceptions, plus he rushed for 202 yards and three scores.

Maye, 21, was also a two-year starter at North Carolina, but after putting up huge numbers in 2022, his production dipped a bit in 2023.

He was the ACC Player of the Year in 2022 when the Tar Heels went 9-5 and he completed 66.2 percent of his passing attempts for 4,321 yards, 38 touchdowns and seven interceptions, plus 698 yards and seven scores on the ground.

Last season, UNC went 8-5 and Maye started 12 games, completing 63.3 percent of his passes for 3,608 yards, 24 touchdowns and nine picks to go along with 449 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns.

Maye, like Williams and Daniels, did not take part in on-field drills at the NFL Scouting Combine, whereas McCarthy did.

McCarthy was by far the most highly touted quarterback in the draft to participate at the combine, and it is fair to wonder if he helped himself in the eyes of NFL teams by doing so.

The NFL draft is shaping up to potentially see quarterbacks come off the board with each of the top three picks, as the Bears, Washington Commanders and New England Patriots all desperately need a franchise signal-caller.

It is possible a team could then trade up with the Arizona Cardinals at No. 4 or Los Angeles Chargers at No. 5 to take a fourth quarterback.

Earlier in the draft process, it seemed like a slam dunk that Williams, Daniels and Maye would be the first three quarterbacks off the board, but now McCarthy has potentially pushed himself into the top three past Maye in the eyes of some.