Former Giants Legend Not Sold On J.J. McCarthy Being First-Round Pick

The New York Giants have the sixth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, and one franchise legend doesn’t want his former team to select Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

With Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye projected to be the first three off the board, retired NFL running back Tiki Barber is hoping the Giants pass on McCarthy if he’s still available when they are on the clock.

“The J.J. McCarthy thing, I’m tired of hearing it. Stop with the J.J. McCarthy thing,” Barber said on Thursday’s “Evan & Tiki” show on WFAN. “His film doesn’t say he’s a first-round quarterback. His film doesn’t say, ‘I need to get rid of all my assets and go and draft this guy,’ because a lot of what he does, doesn’t translate.”

Barber added that McCarthy’s performance at Michigan didn’t necessarily highlight what is needed of an NFL quarterback and laid some of the blame on head coach Jim Harbaugh.

“The J.J. McCarthy thing, to me, is a smokescreen,” Barber said. “He’s getting inflated because Jim Harbaugh won’t stop talking about him. All of a sudden, he’s a top-four quarterback? I don’t buy it.”

The three-time Pro Bowler is not alone in his assessment of McCarthy. Sirus XM radio personality Chris “Mad Dog” Russo was adamant McCarthy was undeserving of being selected in the top five.

The outspoken media personality claimed on a recent episode of ESPN’s “First Take” that any NFL insider or team that is ranking McCarthy that high had not watched any of his games.