The Wolverines’ signal-caller could be a high draft pick

The Wolverines’ signal-caller could be a high draft pick come April if he would choose to leave early.

Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy has a million — or multiple million(s) — dollar decision to make after the college football season is over. Will he stay in Ann Arbor for one last year, or enter the 2024 NFL draft?

Depending on which NFL draft expert you might listen to, they may have McCarthy as the No. 3 QB or the No. 7 QB heading into April. That could make him go from anywhere in the first half of the first round all the way into the middle to late second round of the draft.

But if you look at the most recent ESPN mock draft by Matt Miller — McCarthy is a top-10 pick.

Miller has the Las Vegas Raiders taking McCarthy with the No. 7 overall pick.

Miller has Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels all going before McCarthy, but if the junior receives a top-10 grade, it will be hard to turn down the NFL.

However, there are plenty of variables surrounding the decision McCarthy will make. How does Michigan do in the CFP this year? What’s the status of Jim Harbaugh and does the NCAA hand down any punishments before McCarthy has to make a decision?

McCarthy seems like a kid that would love to end his Michigan career going out on top and if the Wolverines would do that this year, he might see it as the right time. But if Michigan comes up short, McCarthy could give it one last go, become a captain, and really cement his legacy as the best Michigan quarterback to ever play in Ann Arbor.