Russell Wilson is out, and Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos are in need of a new franchise quarterback. Currently holding the No. 12 overall pick, could Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy be the right guy at the right time for Denver?
Longtime ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. certainly believes so, as he slotted the reigning College Football Playoff national champion right there for the Broncos to select. He broke down his decision to fellow analyst Field Yates during an appearance on NFL on ESPN.
“Denver makes sense to me,” Kiper Jr. told Yates. “You think about Sean Payton in that division (AFC West), you think about where we are in AFC. Where are they going to go after quarterback Russell Wilson isn’t going be back? Who is Denver’s quarterback going to be? They could could try to trade up. Good luck on that. If [Denver] sits where they are, maybe McCarthy’s gone.
Kiper Jr. asked Yates where he could see McCarthy going if not for Denver. He responded with the Atlanta Falcons at No. 8. However, in that scenario Yates has Justin Fields going to the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Chicago Bears sticking with No. 1 and taking Caleb Williams.
At the same time, Yates believes the best fit for Fields would be Atlanta. However, McCarthy is the next best thing. Regardless of who drafts him, McCarthy has a few statistics to back up why he can be useful for either Denver, Atlanta or any team that wants to take the chance and draft him.
