Insider indicates NFC East team is highly interested in Michigan's J.J. McCarthy

Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy's stock is soaring ahead of the first round of the NFL Draft on April 25, but will he be a top-three pick?

Per NFL Media's Tom Pelissero, many in league circles believe Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters is leaning toward taking McCarthy, 21, with the second overall pick in the draft. 

"It'll be really interesting because everybody's always trying to figure out, especially at the top of the draft, what the other teams are doing," Pelissero said Monday on "The Insiders." "When I've had conversations here with executives for other teams who know Adam Peters well, who know the situation well, the most popular answer for what they do at No. 2 is J.J. McCarthy. So, a lot of drama still to come."

Washington's interest in McCarthy is a bit of a surprise. ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. rated him as the fourth-best QB in this draft class behind Drake Maye (North Carolina), Jayden Daniels (LSU) and presumptive No.1 pick Caleb Williams (USC).    

"McCarthy has first-round arm talent and can beat defenses with his legs, too. He ranked third in the country in total QBR (89.2) and completion percentage (72.3%) in 2023," wrote Kiper Jr. "I recently projected McCarthy in the middle of Round 1 in my debut mock draft. Sure, he averaged just 22.1 pass attempts per game in 2023 and only needed to complete 10 passes in the national title game, but his upside is immense." 

Washington recently dealt QB Sam Howell to the Seattle Seahawks but signed former first-round pick Marcus Mariota to a one-year, $6M deal. This means McCarthy wouldn't have to play immediately.  

Still, selecting McCarthy — a national champion — might be a reach for the Commanders. While scouts like his potential, he never threw for more than 3,000 yards or 25 TDs in three seasons with the Wolverines.

Plus, Maye and Daniels could be better options. Maye threw 63 TDs in three seasons at North Carolina, and Daniels won the Heisman trophy — given to the best player in college football — in 2023.

Clearly, the Commanders have a lot to consider and must make the right choice. Over the past three seasons, they've had five starting QBs and no playoff appearances.