Former Michigan star JJ McCarthy receives high praise from Vikings teammates

Former Michigan Wolverines star and current Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback JJ McCarthy is expected to be the long-term face of the franchise for his new team.

After leading the Wolverines to an NCAA championship victory last year, McCarthy is fighting for playing time as a rookie with the Vikings. Right now, barring major changes, the team looks set to enter Week 1 with Sam Darnold as the starter.

McCarthy was selected number 10 in the 2024 NFL Draft. He is already receiving very positive reviews from his new teammates.

Minnesota linebacker Blake Cashman took the time to talk about the rookie quarterback and was very impressed with what he saw.

“He’s going to be a great player for a long time and I can’t wait to watch him continue to develop. Not only as a quarterback with his skills, but also how he becomes an even smarter player.”

Cashman went on to talk more about McCarthy and what he has seen from the young man so far.

“I didn’t know much about his game before. I knew he was a great quarterback. He had a lot of wins at Michigan. But I didn’t know how much pressure he could put on the ball. He’s got a great long ball. And even in those tight windows where things are fast at the next level, he can shoot the ball past the head of a linebacker or safety and force it into those tight windows. That’s very promising.”

In closing, Cashman made a bold remark about McCarthy’s leadership qualities, which he had demonstrated early on.

“He’s a leader. He’s eager to learn. A lot of young guys come in sometimes and are a little bit shy or timid, but he walks through the locker room with a big smile on his face, shaking hands and getting to know everyone.”

While many doubt the former Michigan star’s ability to make the NFL, he is simply a winner and finds ways to win in every aspect of life.

Not only did he take the Wolverines to a big win and lead them to the championship, but he also won off the field in the NIL market.

McCarthy ended up with a NIL value of $1.6 million. He was one of the top 10 NIL earners in all of college sports.

Now he’ll look to parlay his success in college and on the NIL market into NFL success. McCarthy is showing good signs early on and it will be exciting to watch his development over the next few years.