If Jim Harbaugh were coaching the Bears, J.J. McCarthy might be the first overall pick in next month's draft.
“I’ve said it before, and I think it’s well-documented: I think he’s the best quarterback in the draft. That’s just what I think. It’s my opinion,” Harbaugh said Monday at the NFL owners meetings. "There are great quarterbacks in the draft, but I think he plays quarterback the best of any quarterback in the draft."
Harbaugh, of course, is coaching Justin Herbert and the Chargers in his return to the NFL, so he's in no need of a quarterback. And it probably behooves him to hype up McCarthy ahead of a draft in which four quarterbacks could go in the first four picks and the Chargers pick fifth. That would leave Harbaugh's club with the pick of the non-QB litter.
Harbaugh's praise for McCarthy, his former quarterback at Michigan, didn't end there. He called McCarthy's pro day workout last week the best he's ever seen and said it drew rave reviews from general managers and head coaches around the NFL.
"I've been to a lot of pro day workouts and watched the quarterbacks throw, that was the best I've ever seen a quarterback do at a pro day," Harbaugh said. "Not only were his feet great in the individual drills, but then he started throwing and it was like every throw was right there. ... That was the best throwing day I've ever seen.
"And then to hear coaches and GM's come to me and say, 'Hey, great job with JJ.' Like I predicted (they would), once they were around him. I was hearing the stories about how he is on the board, how he is on the field, the little things, the intangibles, it was absolutely no surprise whatsoever. There was raving, and it was great to hear, incredible to hear. And I know it was sincere. It was unsolicited. Numerous, numerous GM's, numerous head coaches couldn't say enough good things."
Harbaugh said that McCarthy will thrive wherever he lands in the NFL. He went 27-1 as a starter at Michigan cresting in a 15-0 season and the national championship: "J.J.'s a winner."
"Whether it’s good, whether it’s bad, he’s got an extra gear, especially when he’s challenged. You also see the big personality and the do-anything for another guy on the team or a small kid that walks up to him. He’s incredible," said Harbaugh. "So, big market, small market, cold weather, hot weather. It won’t matter."