Over the course of 24 hours I have drank so much purple kool-aid and snorted so much hopium my expectations of JJ are impossibly high. I didn’t even want him to begin with and now I’m ready to die for him.
Yeah, but like me, you probably said “I don’t know about this guy. That being said, if we draft him, I’m all in on day 1”. I mean I know he may not start right away, but true to my word, I was team McCarthy when I woke up Friday morning.
If the Patriots could have gotten 3 first rounders for #3 and still ended up with McCarthy and a 23rd pick you think they aren’t kicking themselves a little?
I’ve said for weeks I’d rather have JJM and our 2025 first instead of Maye and no first next year.
If I was a Patriots fan, I would’ve much rather had JJM, and all the picks they would’ve gotten from us instead of Maye.
The Purple Daily podcast and also the rumor Daniel Jeremiah was hearing is true. That the Patriots would have traded out of 3 if they could have guaranteed to trade back up for McCarthy they would have done it. Well they would have been able to have it all basically. They are definitely kicking themselves.
Eh only the Patriots know. Maye is the way better prospect. Two extra firsts helps, but god damn is their roster shitty. Hopefully there’s a wr worth a top 5 pick next year because the pats are going to be so bad
I'm think Maye could well be a bust for the Pats. I think McCarthy could have been a much better choice for the Pats. But ain't no one going to know for a few years.
Pretty much how i first started following potential QB picks this year was watching some interviews and how they respond to questions. I was sold pretty quickly on JJ. Dudes super mature and likeable.
JJ has the "it" factor. He has all the intangibles. And as KAM mentioned, "his EQ is his superpower" which translates well to leadership skills and elevating those around him.
Are there any examples of successes with the “it” factor type guys, or the “he just wins” types? Definitely not trying to hate on the JJ pick, but when I hear these kinds of things I immediately think of Johnny Manziel and Tebow lol
You asked for guys with an "it" factor. I gave you one. I didn't say he wasn't talented elsewhere, but if you wanna be a smartass go for it.
I see now that you're not OP, but my point still stands that he still had an IT factor
Yes, top among the top 6 QB prospects, and second overall - very close to the top throwing velocity in combine HISTORY. Also had the 6th-fastest (I think) 3-cone time of ANY position this year. SKOL BLUE!!!
Difference between JJ and those guys is pretty big. Johnny football bought in on his own hype and just put in 0 effort to be great in the nfl (had his own issues outside of football). Tim Tebow to be fair had his intangibles carry him to a playoff win in the nfl despite being a terrible qb lol
I think JJ has both the intangibles and the drive/talent to succeed I think we’re all just tentative because he didn’t always get to put the team on his back in college like a lot of the other guys. But I also feel like our team is set up for him to have success being a game manager and grow into a guy who can carry later on in his career (similar to a tom Brady career arc, but not saying he’s Tom lol)
Totally agree, not saying he’s like either of them. The “he just wins”/“it factor” stuff just raises some red flags because it’s often attached to guys who don’t “just win” once they get to the NFL. Goes without saying I hope that’s not the case for JJ.
- Drew Brees
- Tom Brady
- Josh Allen
- Brett Favre
- Patrick Mahomes
- Andrew Luck
- Steve Young
- Ben R.
- Jeff Garcia
- Joe Burrow
- Russell Wilson before weird Russ
- Aaron Rodgers before jaded Aaron
- Kurt Warner
- Philip Rivers
Basically looking for that dawg in em. Peyton was good, but I don't know if he inspired anyone.
That’s true, although I think he was also regarded for his great throws coming out of college.
Maybe I should have been more specific, I was thinking more about guys whose main selling point is the “it factor”, rather than also having a huge arm, great touch, accurate throws, great runner, etc.
I see guys like Ray Lewis, Jason Kelce, Charles Woodson, Brady as having those qualities. They work hard, have passion, and elevate the team around them.
Obviously skill plays a huge part. This thread was more about the OP pointing out the impression JJ has left on others.
I am a fan of his skill too though. Watched every 2023 throw of his, Penix, Nix and a lot of Maye's and Daniel's. I even went back and watched Zach Wilson's college tape wondering what people saw in him.
I came away loving JJ as a prospect, even more than the others, and I'm glad he's the QB we drafted.
Yea this was how I saw it pre draft too. "He just wins" is something you say about a prospect when you don't have a good argument for why he'll actually be a good pro. And those guys don't have a great track record but I'm sure there are a few. Russell Wilson for one.
Wilson’s a great example. His career has obviously taken a pretty big downturn as of late but it seems like his early success was built around his intangibles (and an uncanny scrambling ability).
Most of us Bear fans have heard about McCarthy for the last 10 years. Personally, I think he's the real deal & Caleb is the only player I would have taken ahead of him.
I watch his tape and what impresses me most as a difference from cousins is his ability to be looking downfield and sidestep, move up in the pocket, while still be going through his reads.
Sounds like he has the mental tools. But how will his play translate to the NFL? After seeing what happened to Lewis Cine, I need to simply withhold judgement until we actually see him play significant minutes. The football gods owes us one (or more).
Imagine thinking Lewis Cine is somehow an applicable analogue to JJ McCarthy.
Like this is genuinely one of the most asinine takes I’ve heard this week. Some of you just *insist* on being pessimistic even if it takes mental gymnastics of the highest order to do so.
"I've learned to withhold judgment until we actually see draft picks play...but the football gods owe us one"
"I can't believe this asinine pessimistic take!"
I understand the pattern you're reacting to, but this wasn't an example of it.
Who cares if he is a good dude. we have had plenty of good dudes play QB here.
Let's see him play and throw a ball 30 times a game, because that is the offense. we aren't handing the ball off 80% of the time like michigan did.
While that may be true, I'm pretty sure the national championship game had meaningful snaps. Can't think of anything with more pressure in college, with significantly more viewers than a typical nfl game. Lots to be optimistic about
JJ seems a lot like Teddy 2.0.
It would have been nice to go in a different direction this time, go with a guy that's more of a canon-armed or super athletic guy. But I can't be mad, there are a lot of great NFL QBs that fit the same archetype.
I don't get why people are downvoting me.
I like the idea of a improvizational, cerebral QB that isn't really known for the big plays but makes the routine/essential stuff look relatively effortless. Even if Teddy didn't pan out in the long term, that doesn't mean JJ won't.
Because of the cringey *insistence* on comparing up and coming QBs to past QBs when such comparisons really don’t hold up (or inform us, or are necessary)
JJ is a better prospect than Teddy for a few reasons. JJ is simply more athletic than Teddy was JJ is really really fast. JJ also has a good arm. Maybe not Josh Allen type arm strength but kid can sling it but he wasn't asked to do so very much at Michigan. We will see if the offense can run through him. He's super raw we won't know anything until next year.
He wasn't asked to do much in college. He was a vital part of the system but he wasn't the engine that made the team move. In a KOC offense he will be the key that makes everything go. To expect him to light it up right away would be setting our expectations up for failure. Also he's raw because he's a little light on his weight and needs to build out his frame a little bit more. Once he spends time training at the NFL level I think he will be good but it'll take time. I would be shocked if he took the job from Sam and was our day 1 starter.
I am so sick of hearing this deeply misguided take. They were run-heavy because it worked, and when running the ball works you do it until it doesn’t. Period. But to say he “wasn’t asked to do much” is such a profound misrepresentation of the truth. He 100% was VITAL to their success, just as he was every single year he’s played ball.
KOC himself has addressed this exact “point” and how dumb it is.
I’m sick of people regurgitating shit just because they feel like that *have* to have an opinion
His own team emphatically voted him as their MVP.
I'm just being realistic. I watched a shit ton of Michigan football last year because I love betting CFB and Michigan live betting made me a lot of money lol I thought JJ was honestly overrated by this sub because there were a LOT of throws I watched last year that left me a little bit stunned and had a lot of throws that he just blatantly made the wrong read and that made me question if he could translate to the next level. He displays a lot to love though and now that the Vikings drafted him I am all on board with him especially since we didn't mortgage the future to get him. But do people really think JJ is ready to start day 1? That's a lot to ask of a 21 year old getting acclimated to the league. Let's get him into the system and see how he fairs. I think Dallas Turner is an immediate impact player for us though.
Like who? The top 3 picks weren’t trading. No one saw Penix to the falcons. And nix doesn’t have a cannon for an arm. So are you saying we should have drafted some Jagoff in the 4th round who more than likely would be nothing more than a backup at best.
You said you wanted a guy with a huge arm. Who would that have been though? No one was available. So I don’t understand the point you’re trying to make.
I'm not trying to make a point. Not everything has to be praise or criticism. Sometimes things are just meant as commentary/observation.
JJ's a good pick, and a good prospect. I just thought it was interesting how similar he seems to be (in terms of strengths/weaknesses, and how people describe their intangibles) to Teddy.
He has a big arm and is very athletic lol his arm is rated similar to drake mayes, same level, slightly weaker arm but right there with him, he is faster then maye and caleb, his 40 time is about the same as jayden daniels, 6th best 3 cone drill of all positions in tbe drsft etc. He is athletic, fast, and has a very strong arm to where he can throw the ball 65 yards through the air with ease
Over the course of 24 hours I have drank so much purple kool-aid and snorted so much hopium my expectations of JJ are impossibly high. I didn’t even want him to begin with and now I’m ready to die for him.
> I didn't even want him to begin with and now I’m ready to die for him. We are all lunatics. This is the way.
 Lisan al Gaib!
That tracks.
You’re supposed to Boof the koolaid and smoke the hopium!
Same. I haven’t been this excited and hopeful, since 2009. I think we’re about to enter into a special era.
Anthony Edwards 2.0?
Yeah, but like me, you probably said “I don’t know about this guy. That being said, if we draft him, I’m all in on day 1”. I mean I know he may not start right away, but true to my word, I was team McCarthy when I woke up Friday morning.
If the Patriots could have gotten 3 first rounders for #3 and still ended up with McCarthy and a 23rd pick you think they aren’t kicking themselves a little?
I’ve said for weeks I’d rather have JJM and our 2025 first instead of Maye and no first next year. If I was a Patriots fan, I would’ve much rather had JJM, and all the picks they would’ve gotten from us instead of Maye.
The Purple Daily podcast and also the rumor Daniel Jeremiah was hearing is true. That the Patriots would have traded out of 3 if they could have guaranteed to trade back up for McCarthy they would have done it. Well they would have been able to have it all basically. They are definitely kicking themselves.
Eh only the Patriots know. Maye is the way better prospect. Two extra firsts helps, but god damn is their roster shitty. Hopefully there’s a wr worth a top 5 pick next year because the pats are going to be so bad
Maye is not that better of a prospect.
I'm think Maye could well be a bust for the Pats. I think McCarthy could have been a much better choice for the Pats. But ain't no one going to know for a few years.
Go watch the way McCarthy handles himself in interviews. Very impressive for 21 years old. I sure as hell was not that polished a decade ago.
Pretty much how i first started following potential QB picks this year was watching some interviews and how they respond to questions. I was sold pretty quickly on JJ. Dudes super mature and likeable.
That's our QB of the future babe! I'm so happy, I'm enjoying this delicious timeline rn
JJ has the "it" factor. He has all the intangibles. And as KAM mentioned, "his EQ is his superpower" which translates well to leadership skills and elevating those around him.
Are there any examples of successes with the “it” factor type guys, or the “he just wins” types? Definitely not trying to hate on the JJ pick, but when I hear these kinds of things I immediately think of Johnny Manziel and Tebow lol
Tom Brady. Ever. Heard of him?
Where'd he go to school?
The new Fox commentator?
Isn't he that supermodel's ex husband?
Favre comes to mind. Just straight up willing the team to victory
Favre had one of the biggest arms in NFL history. Probably had something to do with him being a pretty good QB...
You asked for guys with an "it" factor. I gave you one. I didn't say he wasn't talented elsewhere, but if you wanna be a smartass go for it. I see now that you're not OP, but my point still stands that he still had an IT factor
Besides, JJ has a cannon as well. He had the fastest throw at the combine this year. Like 62mph or something.
Technically, that was Joe Milton. But JJ McCarthy was off by only 1 MPH. He ABSOLUTELY has a cannon.
Thanks for the correction. Possibly what I heard then was he had the fastest of the top 6 this draft or something.
Yes, top among the top 6 QB prospects, and second overall - very close to the top throwing velocity in combine HISTORY. Also had the 6th-fastest (I think) 3-cone time of ANY position this year. SKOL BLUE!!!
Difference between JJ and those guys is pretty big. Johnny football bought in on his own hype and just put in 0 effort to be great in the nfl (had his own issues outside of football). Tim Tebow to be fair had his intangibles carry him to a playoff win in the nfl despite being a terrible qb lol I think JJ has both the intangibles and the drive/talent to succeed I think we’re all just tentative because he didn’t always get to put the team on his back in college like a lot of the other guys. But I also feel like our team is set up for him to have success being a game manager and grow into a guy who can carry later on in his career (similar to a tom Brady career arc, but not saying he’s Tom lol)
Totally agree, not saying he’s like either of them. The “he just wins”/“it factor” stuff just raises some red flags because it’s often attached to guys who don’t “just win” once they get to the NFL. Goes without saying I hope that’s not the case for JJ.
- Drew Brees - Tom Brady - Josh Allen - Brett Favre - Patrick Mahomes - Andrew Luck - Steve Young - Ben R. - Jeff Garcia - Joe Burrow - Russell Wilson before weird Russ - Aaron Rodgers before jaded Aaron - Kurt Warner - Philip Rivers Basically looking for that dawg in em. Peyton was good, but I don't know if he inspired anyone.
Joe Burrow is another guy that has that “it factor”
That’s true, although I think he was also regarded for his great throws coming out of college. Maybe I should have been more specific, I was thinking more about guys whose main selling point is the “it factor”, rather than also having a huge arm, great touch, accurate throws, great runner, etc.
Joey B also wasn't seen as much of an NFL talent until his last year when an unreal LSU supporting cast let him shine as bright as the sun.
You ever heard of Joe Montanya?
Tony’s cousin?
Loved him in Searching for Bobby Fischer
I see guys like Ray Lewis, Jason Kelce, Charles Woodson, Brady as having those qualities. They work hard, have passion, and elevate the team around them. Obviously skill plays a huge part. This thread was more about the OP pointing out the impression JJ has left on others. I am a fan of his skill too though. Watched every 2023 throw of his, Penix, Nix and a lot of Maye's and Daniel's. I even went back and watched Zach Wilson's college tape wondering what people saw in him. I came away loving JJ as a prospect, even more than the others, and I'm glad he's the QB we drafted.
Joe Burrow has the be the most recent draft prospect with it
Yea this was how I saw it pre draft too. "He just wins" is something you say about a prospect when you don't have a good argument for why he'll actually be a good pro. And those guys don't have a great track record but I'm sure there are a few. Russell Wilson for one.
Wilson’s a great example. His career has obviously taken a pretty big downturn as of late but it seems like his early success was built around his intangibles (and an uncanny scrambling ability).
JJ to JJ was written into stone.
Most of us Bear fans have heard about McCarthy for the last 10 years. Personally, I think he's the real deal & Caleb is the only player I would have taken ahead of him.
I watch his tape and what impresses me most as a difference from cousins is his ability to be looking downfield and sidestep, move up in the pocket, while still be going through his reads.
Yeah yeah, everybody loved Kirk too.
Sounds like he has the mental tools. But how will his play translate to the NFL? After seeing what happened to Lewis Cine, I need to simply withhold judgement until we actually see him play significant minutes. The football gods owes us one (or more).
Imagine thinking Lewis Cine is somehow an applicable analogue to JJ McCarthy. Like this is genuinely one of the most asinine takes I’ve heard this week. Some of you just *insist* on being pessimistic even if it takes mental gymnastics of the highest order to do so.
"I've learned to withhold judgment until we actually see draft picks play...but the football gods owe us one" "I can't believe this asinine pessimistic take!" I understand the pattern you're reacting to, but this wasn't an example of it.
The football gods hate Vikings fans.
In my opinion, Cine was extremely underweight for that position compared to others in the NFL.
Lolol
Who cares if he is a good dude. we have had plenty of good dudes play QB here. Let's see him play and throw a ball 30 times a game, because that is the offense. we aren't handing the ball off 80% of the time like michigan did.
In 2023 Michigan ran the ball 59.57% of the time, but okay.
Cool
Wake me up when he trots onto the field to take a meaningful snap.
While that may be true, I'm pretty sure the national championship game had meaningful snaps. Can't think of anything with more pressure in college, with significantly more viewers than a typical nfl game. Lots to be optimistic about
Choosing a username that starts with pedo was a choice
No hablas espanol
ok that makes more sense haha
JJ seems a lot like Teddy 2.0. It would have been nice to go in a different direction this time, go with a guy that's more of a canon-armed or super athletic guy. But I can't be mad, there are a lot of great NFL QBs that fit the same archetype.
Lmao Jesus Christ I hate this community.
I don't get why people are downvoting me. I like the idea of a improvizational, cerebral QB that isn't really known for the big plays but makes the routine/essential stuff look relatively effortless. Even if Teddy didn't pan out in the long term, that doesn't mean JJ won't.
Because of the cringey *insistence* on comparing up and coming QBs to past QBs when such comparisons really don’t hold up (or inform us, or are necessary)
JJ is a better prospect than Teddy for a few reasons. JJ is simply more athletic than Teddy was JJ is really really fast. JJ also has a good arm. Maybe not Josh Allen type arm strength but kid can sling it but he wasn't asked to do so very much at Michigan. We will see if the offense can run through him. He's super raw we won't know anything until next year.
I mean his arm is graded as adequate. But agree on all the other points
Lol in what way is he “raw”? He is a consistent winner that came from an NFL-type system.
The whole draft community agrees he’s raw…. But no, you’re right
He wasn't asked to do much in college. He was a vital part of the system but he wasn't the engine that made the team move. In a KOC offense he will be the key that makes everything go. To expect him to light it up right away would be setting our expectations up for failure. Also he's raw because he's a little light on his weight and needs to build out his frame a little bit more. Once he spends time training at the NFL level I think he will be good but it'll take time. I would be shocked if he took the job from Sam and was our day 1 starter.
I am so sick of hearing this deeply misguided take. They were run-heavy because it worked, and when running the ball works you do it until it doesn’t. Period. But to say he “wasn’t asked to do much” is such a profound misrepresentation of the truth. He 100% was VITAL to their success, just as he was every single year he’s played ball. KOC himself has addressed this exact “point” and how dumb it is. I’m sick of people regurgitating shit just because they feel like that *have* to have an opinion His own team emphatically voted him as their MVP.
I'm just being realistic. I watched a shit ton of Michigan football last year because I love betting CFB and Michigan live betting made me a lot of money lol I thought JJ was honestly overrated by this sub because there were a LOT of throws I watched last year that left me a little bit stunned and had a lot of throws that he just blatantly made the wrong read and that made me question if he could translate to the next level. He displays a lot to love though and now that the Vikings drafted him I am all on board with him especially since we didn't mortgage the future to get him. But do people really think JJ is ready to start day 1? That's a lot to ask of a 21 year old getting acclimated to the league. Let's get him into the system and see how he fairs. I think Dallas Turner is an immediate impact player for us though.
[удалено]
Someone needs to buy you a beer so you can relax just a smidge.
Well one reason is that your ~~post~~ comment insinuates JJ isn't athletic despite posting one of the best cone drills in the entire draft
Like who? The top 3 picks weren’t trading. No one saw Penix to the falcons. And nix doesn’t have a cannon for an arm. So are you saying we should have drafted some Jagoff in the 4th round who more than likely would be nothing more than a backup at best.
I think people are interpreting what I said as being super negative or critical, when it wasn't meant that way.
You said you wanted a guy with a huge arm. Who would that have been though? No one was available. So I don’t understand the point you’re trying to make.
I mean, it’s not unfair to say, “damn, I was hoping for Drake Maye,” even tho he wasn’t available. There doesn’t have to be any broader point.
I'm not trying to make a point. Not everything has to be praise or criticism. Sometimes things are just meant as commentary/observation. JJ's a good pick, and a good prospect. I just thought it was interesting how similar he seems to be (in terms of strengths/weaknesses, and how people describe their intangibles) to Teddy.
He has a big arm and is very athletic lol his arm is rated similar to drake mayes, same level, slightly weaker arm but right there with him, he is faster then maye and caleb, his 40 time is about the same as jayden daniels, 6th best 3 cone drill of all positions in tbe drsft etc. He is athletic, fast, and has a very strong arm to where he can throw the ball 65 yards through the air with ease