The Minnesota Vikings are heading into uncertain territory now that starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy is out with a high ankle sprain that he suffered in their Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
Aside from his incredible fourth-quarter comeback against the Chicago Bears in Week 1, McCarthy has looked shaky throughout the rest of his first two NFL starts, which has led one former scout to make a harsh claim about him.
“J.J. McCarthy was grossly overhyped and overdrafted,” Daniel Kelly of First Round Mock wrote on X.
J.J. McCarthy was grossly overhyped and overdrafted.
5th round pre-draft value: https://t.co/oX4sKXTddv https://t.co/nDK9dZlauf
— FIRST ROUND MOCK (@firstroundmock) September 18, 2025
After FOX Sports host Colin Cowherd wondered aloud if the Vikings can afford to wait for McCarthy to get up to speed, Kelly shared a link to an article that showed how he had a fifth-round value on him prior to the 2024 NFL Draft.
McCarthy lost one game in two years as a starter at Michigan and helped it win the national championship, so it was easy to see why he was selected No. 10 overall as part of a loaded quarterback class.
He lost last season to a meniscus injury, but he is still just 22 years old and is taking over a team that won 14 games last season with Sam Darnold at quarterback.
There were always going to be growing pains for a quarterback that young taking over a team that talented, and it’s unfortunate that he’ll now miss even more time that could have been beneficial to his development.
Hindsight is always 20/20, but at least one scout didn’t see McCarthy as a potential franchise QB.
NEXT: NFL Insider Hints At Christian Darrisaw’s Status On Sunday
