Leading source projects Michigan Wolverines quarterback JJ McCarthy to go surprisingly high in the 2024 NFL Draft and Steve Clinkscale is heading to the Los Angeles Chargers of the NFL from Michigan.
JJ McCarthy, the quarterback for the Michigan Wolverines, won a national title to cap off his college career. Now that he’s following in coach Jim Harbaugh’s footsteps, McCarthy might be among the NFL teams’ top offseason targets.
McCarthy, a 6-foot-3 quarterback, isn’t among this class’s most decorated players. Not like Jayden Daniels or Caleb Williams, he hasn’t won a Heisman Trophy. Additionally, the signal-caller for the Wolverines lacks the stature of Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr.
Meetings with NFL teams are one setting in which McCarthy is expected to truly shine during the pre-draft process. The quarterback who now leads the Big Ten in passing yards per play and is invited to the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine is thought to dazzle teams with his football acumen, leadership, and manner.
Although McCarthy’s decline in output and the Wolverines’ offense taking the ball away from him more worried some people in the latter half of the 2023 season, most people agree that it was a reflection of what would work best for Michigan at the time.
The Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings, and Las Vegas Raiders are the clubs to watch if McCarthy is selected in the top 12 of the 2024 NFL Draft. Atlanta would probably be McCarthy’s best option among those. The Falcons have the offensive weapons (Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts) to help McCarthy succeed, and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson’s scheme may be ideal for his abilities.
Already rising in the ranks, McCarthy’s draft status is expected to soar after he meets with teams at the NFL Combine. If he keeps up his impressive play, four quarterbacks might be selected in the first ten picks in April.
Michigan’s football team is about to lose another defensive coordinator, but they have already hired their new defensive coordinator.
Coach of the Wolverines’ defensive backs and important recruiter Steve Clinkscale has informed the team that he intends to leave for the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers, a source told MLive on Saturday.
The news was first reported by the Detroit Free Press.
Clinkscale, 46, is headed to the Chargers under Jim Harbaugh, following defensive coordinator Jesse Minter of Michigan, defensive line coach Mike Elston, and strength coach Ben Herbert. According to earlier reports, Clinkscale told players he was going to stay and rejected attempts to leave. Don “Wink” Martindale apparently consented to take over as Michigan’s defensive coordinator the day before the change was made. Next week, the hiring is anticipated to be announced.
Clinkscale was the defensive backs coach at Ann Arbor during the previous three seasons, when he helped the passing defense get better every year. The Wolverines finished 15-0 and took home the national championship this past season, propelling the team from No. 27 in the nation in 2021 to No. 20 in ’22 and No. 2 this past season. Prior to the 2022 season, he was appointed co-coordinator.
His exit hurts recruiting as well because the Youngstown, Ohio, native has been on the rise lately. Clinkscale focused on Ohio and Kentucky, two areas from which Michigan had difficulty removing high school prospects prior to his arrival.
