EAGAN, Minn. – The Vikings made a move for McCarthy.
Minnesota drafted Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy with the 10th overall selection of the 2024 NFL Draft. The pick came after the Vikings traded the 11th, 129th and 157th overall picks to the Jets in exchange for No. 10 and No. 203.
McCarthy was the fifth quarterback tabbed in this year’s draft, following Caleb Williams (Chicago) at No. 1, Jayden Daniels (Washington) at No. 2, Drake Maye at No. 3 (New England) and Michael Penix, Jr., at No. 8 (Atlanta).
The selection of McCarthy marks the highest Minnesota has ever drafted a quarterback. The previous highest was Daunte Culpepper at No. 11 in 1999.
McCarthy was named the Big Ten Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year after his 2023 season in which he started 15 games for the National Champion Wolverines and racked up 2,991 passing yards and 22 passing touchdowns, in addition to three rushing touchdowns.
Over three seasons for Michigan, McCarthy started 28 of 40 games played and was 482-of-713 passing (67.6 percent) for 6,226 yards and 49 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. He also totaled 161 carries for 632 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.
Here are five things to know about the Vikings new quarterback:
McCarthy set Michigan program records in single-season completion percentage (72.3 in 2023), career completion percentage (67.6) and lowest career interception percentage (1.54).
His completion percentage of 72.3 last season ranked sixth in FBS.
McCarthy’s mom, Megan, was a competitive figure skater, and she introduced her son to the ice when she put him in skates as a toddler.
“[Hockey] was actually my first love,” McCarthy told Detroit Free Press in 2019.
McCarthy spent most of his youth playing hockey and football and had to decide “around freshman year of high school” which sport he wanted to more pointedly pursue.
“It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make,” he said.
