J.J. McCarthy: Playing for this team would be ‘dream come true’

J.J. McCarthy. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

J.J. McCarthy says playing for this NFL team would be 'a dream come true'

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 4/24/24

Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy is expected to be selected somewhere in the first 10 picks of the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday night.

But if the 21-year-old signal-caller had it his way, there’s one team in particular, he revealed on “The Adam Schefter Podcast,” that he’d prefer to play for — a team he’s been linked to several times over the last few weeks: the Minnesota Vikings.

“It would mean the world just because coach (Kevin) O'Connell, he's a guy that I'd run through a brick wall for,” McCarthy said. “Everything that he wants to do with his football team is something that I want to be a part of. Obviously, being in the NFC North, being a Bears fan my entire life, and being able to play at Soldier Field and stay in the Midwest and all that good stuff would be just a dream come true. I love what they're building. Obviously, the weapons there are limitless.”

"If Minnesota takes him he is the by far early favorite for offensive rookie of the year." @danorlovsky7 believes J.J. McCarthy would thrive with the Vikings pic.twitter.com/fdaHDMCnRb
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 22, 2024

The Vikings have two picks in Round One (Nos. 11 and 23 overall), and the team is reportedly trying to package them both, and possibly its 2025 first-rounder, to move up into the top five for a QB, with McCarthy being one of Minnesota’s potential targets.

USC’s Caleb Williams and LSU’s Jayden Daniels are projected to go No. 1 and 2 overall to the Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders, respectively, leaving the New England Patriots at No. 3 to pick between McCarthy and North Carolina’s Drake Maye.

Whichever one isn’t picked in the top three will likely go somewhere in the top 10 with the New York Giants reportedly interested in taking a passer in addition to the Vikings, Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders all believed to be exploring trade-up opportunities.

Of all the teams looking for quarterbacks in the draft, Minnesota is arguably the best destination of them all. The team has a Pro Bowl running back in Aaron Jones, arguably the best 1-2 punch at wide receiver in the NFC in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison and a top-five tight end in T.J. Hockenson.

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