Ex-GM Mike Tannenbaum explains why NFL teams love J.J. McCarthy

For the New York Giants, the talk leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft seems to be all McCarthy, all the time. Many fans don't understand how McCarthy, at one time considered by media analysts to be a Day 2 pick, could now potentially not even be available to the Giants if they stay at No. 6 in Round 1.

So, I asked Tannenbaum to explain what it is that draws NFL teams to McCarthy. Tannenbaum gave a multi-pronged answer:

"For me, I've been taking about him for months so this whole idea that he's rising — that has not been the case with me. I think he's been there," Tannenbaum said.

"When you look at a quarterback he's 6-2, 219, he's started 28 games, won 27 of them, 49 career touchdowns, almost a thousand yards rushing."

Tannenbaum pushed back on the idea that McCarthy was not been asked to do enough at Michigan.

"You go back a couple of years ago, they're playing Illinois at home, it was really, really cold, Illinois had a really good defense that year and he made the plays in the fourth quarter between a run, there was a PI to get into makable field goal range. Alabama, brought the team back one time after another. In those high-leverage moments he played well," he said.

"Then, when you run the searches in TruMedia, third-and-7 or longer this year he has the best QBR of any quarterback."

Tannenbaum finished his answer with this:

"I'm really hard-pressed to understand what he doesn't have. He's a great person, he's a great leader. I think he's a way better quarterback right now than Daniel Jones."