Why JJ McCarthy’s Slow Start Mirrors the Paths of Other NFL Late Bloomers

Maybe you've heard of Dan Marino, the 27th pick in the first round of the famed QB class of 1983. Elway, Kely, Eason and O'Brien all went before the record-setting Marino landed with Miami.

And perhaps the name Lamar Jackson rings a bell. The two-time NFL MVP was the last pick in the first round in 2018, when the Cardinals used the 10th pick to select UCLA's Josh Rosen. Baker Mayfield (1), Sam Darnold (3) and Josh Allen (7) were already off the board.

It's difficult to discern at this precise moment where exactly JJ McCarthy will wind up in NFL draft lore.

Mayfield and Darnold might've been on the dark side of the ledger before having career-resurrecting seasons to help erase early failures at multiple NFL stops.

McCarthy missed his rookie season following knee surgery but has performed like one in 2025.

A silver lining in his case comes from studying Darnold's trek from incompetence to MVP candidacy last season with the Vikings.

A pessimist watching the placement of his passes to receivers in tight windows against the Chicago Bears on Sunday might wonder if he should be running an option system instead.

McCarthy's leadership, mobility and character helped elevate his draft stock during Michigan's undefeated national championship season. Questions about his deep-ball placement and accuracy and durability on a relatively small frame were chief concerns.

Not many foretold McCarthy landing in the top 10.

Some of the same contrarian thoughts around the Broncos' selection of Bo Nix two picks after McCarthy doubted he would be more than a game manager for Sean Payton in Denver. He was viewed as a dual-threat quarterback entering college, ranked ahead of other preps in the same category including Jayden Daniels.

On Monday, he woke up 9-2 fresh off of a victory over Patrick Mahomes that effectively dethrones the Chiefs in the AFC West. Only Justin Herbert has more completions than Nix (237) before Dak Prescott takes the field Monday night.

"People are always entitled to their opinions. They’re always going to say what they think and that’s also what makes our country great. At the end of the day, you just got to block it out," Nix said. "You can’t involve yourself with what’s outside the building because if you do, it’ll just bog you down, get you distracted and you start worrying about things you shouldn’t be worrying about. Everybody’s always going to say something. For some reason, we’re always going to be talked down upon and that’s OK.”

Darnold completed 57.7 percent of his passes with 17 touchdowns and 15 picks. On Monday, even after a four-INT game, he is sixth in the NFL with a QB rating of 105.

Jackson completed 58.2 percent of his passes as a rookie in 2018 with six touchdowns and three interceptions. He has a 15-3 ration this season with a completion percentage of 68.

McCarthy, who woke up at the bottom of the NFC North, is completing 52.9 percent of his passes (74-140) with six touchdowns and eight interceptions.

The growth from Mayfield, Darnold — and to some extent Mahomes and Jackson — can be partially credited to time spent as QB2. Mahomes didn't start until the final game of his rookie season, serving as a backup to Alex Smith for an entire season. Darnold said learning the finest details of QB play is the difference in where he is at 28 compared to 22. Jackson played in select packages until the middle of his rookie year in 2018.

Minnesota was 14-3 last season and played for the NFC North title on the final week of the season. Given the chance to reup with Darnold or turn to McCarthy last March, the Vikings placed a bet on the future of McCarthy.

McCarthy is only 22, and he has time to catch up to the peak players at the position. It might take some time on the sideline to map a successful path forward.

Nix, who turns 26 in February, is off to an unexpectedly epic head start.