Five things to know about new Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy, the No. 10 overall pick

The Vikings acquired their new franchise quarterback Thursday night, trading up one spot to the No. 10 overall pick for Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy.

Here are five things to know about the fifth QB selected in the first round on Thursday night. McCarthy was taken after the Bears’ Caleb Williams (No. 1), the Commanders’ Jayden Daniels (No. 2), the Patriots’ Drake Maye (No. 3) and the Falcons’ Michael Penix Jr. (No. 8).

1. McCarthy has been a dominant winner. He lost only one game — the 2022 College Football Playoff semifinal to TCU — while leading Michigan’s offense during the past two seasons. He went 27-1 as a starter, including 15-0 last season while winning a national championship. McCarthy, a five-star recruit, also won at that level in high school, leading Nazareth Academy just outside Chicago to three state title games. They won in 2018 when McCarthy was a sophomore. He went 8-0 while leading IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., where McCarthy transferred to play in 2020.

“I’m really intrigued by him,” ESPN analyst Matt Miller said. “Great arm strength. Guy only lost one game in two years of college football, which is very impressive no matter if you want to give wins to the quarterback or not. Then it’s the ability to get better; the athletic potential is through the roof. He’s a good mover and has room to grow into that frame.”

2. He’s the youngest of the 2024 first-round quarterbacks. McCarthy turned 21 years old in January, making him about five months younger than Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who was selected with the No. 3 overall pick. While this year’s NFL draft class is older in general after everyone having an extra year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this class also included transfers who played multiple years at two spots such as Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, who turns 24 years old in December.

3. He threw fewer passes per game — 22 — last season than any first-round QB. The Wolverines dominated with lights-out defense and a run-oriented offense that lived through Blake Corum, who could be one of the first running backs selected in the NFL draft. That wasn’t an issue for analysts such as NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah, who was a former NFL scout for three teams. Jeremiah wrote: “Other quarterbacks in this class have more volume in the passing game, but it’s hard to argue with McCarthy’s results. I see some similarities to Alex Smith coming out of college.”

4. McCarthy’s exit plans include both running and throwing. He’s mobile, too. He ran for 632 yards and 10 touchdowns during his career at Michigan. He’s a “very explosive straight-line runner,” according to Jeremiah, who also said McCarthy is “comfortable taking checkdowns and piling up completions.” His 72.3% completion rate last season was a Michigan program record. That sounds like a fit for Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, who has listed accuracy, football intelligence and toughness among his most important traits.

5. He didn’t predict he’d go to the Vikings. He recently told the Rich Eisen Show that he had “spent most of my time” during the predraft process with the New York Giants, who selected LSU receiver Malik Nabers with the No. 6 overall pick. McCarthy still spent plenty of time with the Vikings, including a meeting at the scouting combine as well as a private workout. He left college a year early, so he was not eligible for the Senior Bowl. He previously said he met with 11 teams at the combine.