McCarthy, who finished 10th in the Heisman Trophy balloting last season, didn’t put up whopper passing numbers for the run-heavy Wolverines. But he kept his interception totals low (nine in 29 games over the past two seasons) and played big in big moments — and did so at times this season without his head coach, Jim Harbaugh, who served two separate three-game suspensions.
In Michigan’s four-game gauntlet to a championship — against Ohio State, Iowa in the Big Ten Championship Game and Alabama and Washington in the College Football Playoff — McCarthy completed 68.4% of his passes, throwing for 656 yards, four TDs and no picks. His most important TD pass came on the game-tying drive late in the fourth quarter against the Crimson Tide.
McCarthy, who turns 21 years old on Jan. 20, is a tall, lean and athletically gifted passer whose best work is done on the move, but he has improved as a decision maker in the pocket over the past two seasons. McCarthy’s is able to throw from different platforms and arm angles to keep the entire field in play.
Although he’s capable of making spectacular throws with a high degree of difficulty, McCarthy also can miss some layups and is still developing feel and touch as a passer. He’s also rarely been asked to win games, given the team’s potent run game. His style contains shades of Ryan Tannehill and Geno Smith.
McCarthy was a much-hyped recruit who chose the Wolverines, seeing limited time as a true freshman. In 2021 while backing up McNamara, he completed 34-of-59 passes for 516 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions, also rushing for two scores. After eventually winning the starting job in 2022, McCarthy completed 208-of-322 passes (64.6%) for 2,719 yards, 22 TDs and five INTs, also rushing for five TDs and a two-point conversion, as the Wolverines lost in the playoff semifinals to TCU.
In 2023, McCarthy led Michigan to an unbeaten regular season and a third straight victory over Ohio State, who had won eight straight in the rivalry before he arrived, plus the long-awaited national title. McCarthy completed 240-of-332 passes (72.3%) for 2,991 yards, 22 TDs and only four picks — with three of them coming in an early-season victory over Bowling Green.
McCarthy would be the first Michigan quarterback drafted since Jake Rudock, a sixth-round pick in 2016. As a third-year junior, McCarthy is an underclassman and has until Monday to submit a petition to the league for special eligibility.