Ryan WilsonSep 28, 2026
Recalling their pre-draft evaluation, Wilson notes they had ranked J.J. McCarthy as the fifth quarterback in the 2024 class and given them a second-round grade rather than a first-round one, citing the gap between Michigan's system and NFL demands.
Published in writing · CBS SportsRead the original
What Ryan Wilson said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromMcCarthy was my QB5 with a second-round grade because the traits were there, but there was still a considerable gap between what Michigan asked of him and what an NFL team would require of him as the face of the franchise.
- Where it was published
- CBS Sports
- The piece
- J.J. McCarthy experiment unraveled after only 10 starts in Minnesota; can QB pick up the pieces with Giants?
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidSep 28
- GradedSep 29
- 1J.J. McCarthy to be 5th quarterback off the board“That was part of my concern in 2024. McCarthy was my QB5 with a second-round grade”
- 2J.J. McCarthy to be picked “second-round grade” (picks 33–64)“McCarthy was my QB5 with a second-round grade ... My second-round grade reflected that gap and the concerns that come with the pressure and expectation of going in Round 1.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J.J. McCarthy to be 5th quarterback off the board1 | Position Order Calls | — | 100 | 44.76 | +55.24 | |
| J.J. McCarthy to be picked “second-round grade” (picks 33–64)2 | Mock Draft Picks | Went 10 | 36.92 | 50 | — | |
| 2 calls · 1 hit · 1 miss · all settled | 68.5 | 47.4 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naiveworse than naive2 checkable claims — 1 mock draft pick and 1 position order call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
All 2 have settled, averaging 68.5 out of 100, against 47.4 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
Their call against what happened
positional finishTheir call against what actually happened.
1Position Order CallsJ.J. McCarthy
J.J. McCarthy to be 5th quarterback off the board
VerdictHit100Hit · naive 44.76100this call−44.76a naive guess=55.24better than naive×1difficulty=+55.24skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2024
- naive:
- naming one of the 11 at random averages 44.76
- skill:
- 55.24
- player:
- J.J. McCarthy
- season:
- 2026
- zero credit this far off:
- credit halves every two places
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 44.76
- position:
- quarterback
- class size:
- 11
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- actual order:
- 5
- predicted order:
- 5
- weeks left when called:
- 0
2Mock Draft PicksJ.J. McCarthy
J.J. McCarthy to be picked “second-round grade” (picks 33–64)
What happenedWent 1036.92Miss · naive 50Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- draft:
- 2024
- naive:
- a shuffled mock scores 50
- player:
- J.J. McCarthy
- season:
- 2026
- zero credit this far off:
- 32
- accuracy:
- 36.92
- baseline:
- 50
- actual pick:
- 10
- difficulty:
- 1
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- pick accuracy:
- 36.92
- predicted pick:
- second-round grade (picks 33–64)
- weeks left when called:
- 0
- mock ordering score:
- only one pick — no order to score
- All
The take as a whole
the average of 2 settled calls, each counted once
68.5naive 47.4
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Patricia Traina · Trade and Signing Calls · J.J. McCarthy · Hit 100
Traina expects defensive tackle to be a top need for the Giants in next year's draft, and suggests the Giants could trade J.J. McCarthy next offseason — or keep both them and Jaxson Dart if the return isn't good enough. They also expect Dart to make a full recovery.Jacob Herlin · Depth Chart Calls · J.J. McCarthy · Hit 100
Herlin published Week 7 fantasy D/ST rankings with projections for 28 team defenses, led by Houston, Minnesota and Cleveland. They also expect Cleveland to post a fourth straight top-10 fantasy defense result, and predicts Jalon Daniels starts another week for Tampa Bay while J.J. McCarthy takes over as the Giants' starter.Adam Carlson · Trade and Signing Calls · J.J. McCarthy · Hit 100
Carlson names three Vikings they expect could be traded before the end of September: quarterback J.J. McCarthy, wide receiver Jordan Addison and linebacker Ivan Pace.Bryan DeArdo · Trade and Signing Calls · J.J. McCarthy · Hit 100
A CBS Sports piece lists veterans it expects could be traded before the 53-man roster deadline, including quarterbacks Anthony Richardson (with Buffalo floated as a landing spot), J.J. McCarthy and Will Howard, plus Jerry Jeudy, Joey Porter Jr., Tyrone Tracy Jr., Kayvon Thibodeaux, Josh Sweat, Kristian Fulton and Marist Liufau. It also says Mason Rudolph's and Drew Allar's roster spots in Pittsburgh are secure.Fox Sports · Roster Spot Calls · J.J. McCarthy · Hit 100
The FOX Sports report states that the Vikings are expected to keep quarterback J.J. McCarthy on their active roster for the season.Greg Auman · Trade and Signing Calls · J.J. McCarthy · Hit 100
Auman argues no quarterback is likely to replicate Sam Darnold's turnaround this season, but names five candidates. They expect Miami to hold a very high pick in the 2027 draft, and thinks J.J. McCarthy will eventually be traded for a late-round pick or cut by the Vikings.
More position order calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Joe Marino · Position Order Calls · Arvell Reese · Hit 100
Marino stacks 14 inside linebackers in the 2026 NFL draft class and assigns each a round-value grade, with Sonny Styles first (top-10 grade) and Anthony Hill third; they say Hill would be their preferred pick if Buffalo takes a linebacker at No. 26.Ian Rapoport · Position Order Calls · Tetairoa McMillan · Close 71
Rapoport said Travis Hunter is likely the pick at No. 2 for the Browns, that Shedeur Sanders is in play at No. 3, and predicted Tetairoa McMillan would be the first receiver drafted. They also expected Brock Purdy's next deal to land around $50 million per year with Dak Prescott remaining the only quarterback above $60 million.Peter Schrager · Position Order Calls · Tetairoa McMillan · Close 71
Schrager laid out their top 10 prospects entering the 2025 combine, with Travis Hunter first, Abdul Carter second and Tyler Warren third, and attached draft-range calls to several of them — Will Johnson in the first round, Mason Graham a top-five pick, Ashton Jeanty a first-rounder, Tyler Warren not escaping the top ten, and Cam Ward a top-five to top-ten pick who will start as a rookie.Matty Lane · Position Order Calls · Spencer Fano · Hit 100
Maddie Lane said Spencer Fano is clearly the first tackle off the board, that the top four players in their mock will be four of the first five picks, that Malik Mohammed goes ahead of Igbunosin, and that Blake Miller would beat out Jalen Moore for the Chiefs' starting job.Daniel Jeremiah · Position Order Calls · Spencer Fano · Close 71
Jeremiah's Mock Draft 3.0, discussed pick by pick: Mendoza first overall, Arvell Reese to the Jets at 2, Francis Mauigoa to the Cardinals at 3, Jeremiyah Love to the Titans at 4, Sonny Styles to the Giants at 5, and on through the first round.