Giants, Vikings emerge as new favorites to draft quarterback J.J. McCarthy

Quarterback prospect J.J. McCarthy was one of the big winners leaving Indianapolis after the NFL Scouting Combine.

And, with free agency underway, the former Michigan star continues to be a hot name among many teams during roster reconstruction.

From a betting perspective, McCarthy’s stock is soaring, as his odds of potentially being one of the first quarterbacks taken in the 2024 NFL Draft have moved drastically over the last month.

While he’s still a major long-shot to be selected with the top pick (+3000) and second overall pick (+1800), his odds of being selected third and fourth overall have improved from +650 to +550 and +475, respectively.

There’s also one team whose odds of drafting the QB jumped tremendously over the last few days.

Here’s a look at the latest odds regarding McCarthy’s draft status:

J.J. McCARTHY DRAFT POSITION ODDS: *

McCarthy to be No. 1 overall pick: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
McCarthy to be No. 2 overall pick: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)
McCarthy to be No. 3 overall pick: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)
McCarthy to be No. 4 overall pick: +475 (bet $10 to win $57.50 total)
McCarthy to be No. 5 overall pick: +425 (bet $10 to win $52.50 total)

TEAM TO DRAFT J.J. McCARTHY ODDS: *

Minnesota Vikings: +100 (bet $10 to win $20 total)
New York Giants: +300 (bet $10 to win $40 total)
Denver Broncos: +350 (bet $10 to win $45 total)
New England Patriots: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)
Las Vegas Raiders: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)
Los Angeles Rams: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Seattle Seahawks: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
New Orleans Saints: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Washington Commanders: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)
Tennessee Titans: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)

* odds as of 3/16/24

The New York Giants’ odds (No. 6 overall pick) of selecting McCarthy have shortened this week.

Rumors say the G-Men are interested in the quarterback, causing the number to move from +650 directly after the combine to +300.

The Giants are actually second in odds to draft McCarthy, behind the Minnesota Vikings at +100. 

FOX Sports’ Craig Carton discussed the topic on “The Carton Show” this week.

“I think it’s a major mistake for the New York Giants,” Carton expressed.

Currently, the Vikings have the 11th pick, while the Giants hold the 6th pick.

Both teams have quarterback situations to resolve this offseason. The Vikings lost Kirk Cousins to the Atlanta Falcons in free agency, and some say the Giants have lost faith in Daniel Jones. The team recently signed free agent Drew Lock to a one-year deal.

FOX Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt believes that you might need a top-10 pick to draft McCarthy following his performance at the combine.

“J.J. McCarthy threw the ball well in Indianapolis this weekend,” Klatt wrote in his column assessing his winners and takeaways from the combine. “He’s going to be a really good NFL quarterback. For those of you that want to hate on McCarthy, that’s fine. But I’m going to be pretty surprised if he’s not drafted in the first 15 picks.

“In fact, I might be surprised if McCarthy is not taken in the top 10 at this point. That’s the type of momentum that he’s generating. He plays a selfless brand of football and he’s incredibly athletic. That guy spins it, he makes plays, he’s a winner, and he doesn’t care who gets the credit. Every organization in the NFL is looking for players like that, particularly at that position. McCarthy did a nice job over the weekend.”

Before the combine, Klatt had the Seahawks selecting McCarthy with the 16th overall pick.

If McCarthy’s former college head coach is to be believed, he might go even higher. 

“Don’t be surprised if, when he’s the No. 1 quarterback off the board. That’s my prediction right now,” new Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh told Colin Cowherd about McCarthy on “The Herd” in February.

Where do you think J.J. McCarthy will play next season? Follow FOX Sports for the latest news in the NFL and other sports.

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