After a historic career at Michigan, J.J. McCarthy is staying in the Midwest.
The Vikings traded up one spot to draft McCarthy No. 10 overall in Thursday night's NFL Draft. McCarthy, who went 27-1 as a starter for the Wolverines and led them to the national championship last season, has a chance to be the immediate starter in Minnesota, where the only other proven quarterback on the roster is veteran Sam Darnold.
An athletic quarterback with a strong arm and a penchant for making off-script plays, McCarthy completed 72.3 percent of his passes last season, throwing for 2,991 yards and 22 touchdowns to four picks. He added 202 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
McCarthy was the fifth quarterback off the board Thursday night, behind Caleb Williams first overall to the Bears, Jayden Daniels second to the Commanders, Drake Maye third to the Patriots and, in a draft-night shocker, Michael Penix eighth to the Falcons.
A year after the Packers traded Aaron Rodgers and a couple months after Kirk Cousins departed the Vikings for the Falcons, Lions quarterback Jared Goff is now the elder statesman under center in the NFC North. McCarthy is 21, Williams is 22 and Jordan Love of the Packers is 25.
To move up to No. 10, the Vikings sent the No. 11 pick and fourth- and fifth-rounders to the Jets and also got a sixth-rounder in return.