Where Will Michigan Quarterback JJ McCarthy Be Drafted?

The 2024 NFL Draft will take place April 25 through 27 in Detroit, Michigan, and the city is totally buzzing about it. One big topic of discussion is where beloved Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy will go in the draft. He's leaving school early to head to the NFL, opting to go out on a high note as part of the team that won the National Championship with Jim Harbaugh.

I'm so excited for the NFL Draft. It's going to be fantastic to have the Motor City on the big stage and host this massive event, which will draw visitors and viewers from everywhere. On the most recent episode of my podcast, "The Squad with Anne Erickson," my guest Benjamin Raven of MLive and I discuss the most in-demand players in this year's draft. The No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft will likely be Caleb Williams, the star quarterback from USC. Williams is ready to hit the ground running. In my recent story on the top five NFL Draft picks, I discuss why Williams is already at the point where he could be a long-term franchise quarterback. It's too bad he'll likely go to the Chicago Bears, because it just makes the NFC North that much tougher for the Lions. Raven agrees about Williams and puts him way ahead of the other star quarterbacks in this year's draft class.

Aside from talking about Williams, Raven and I also discussed Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy, who is the youngest quarterback in the draft. Since McCarthy hails from the Wolverines, a lot of people in these parts are curious about where he'll land. Raven sees a scenario where the Minnesota Vikings draft McCarthy and get him pumped up in the next year to become their eventual franchise quarterback. I think that makes sense and see that as a solid move. Again, I'm not happy when another NFC North team gets stronger, because it could hurt the Detroit Lions, but it would be nice to see McCarthy follow in the footsteps of former MSU quarterback Kirk Cousins. Of course, Cousins will be with the Atlanta Falcons for the next several years, so as a MSU graduate, that gives me a reason to watch the Falcons. They certainly have work to do, but Cousins could be the missing piece of the puzzle for them. Listen to the NFL Draft Preview episode of "The Squad with Anne Erickson below." Reach out to me with your thoughts on the NFL Draft, too.

I know it's probably early to talk about the Super Bowl for next season, but really, is it? I actually don't think it's ever too early to start speculating and wishing for your team to make it all the way next year. This year was so very close for my team, the Detroit Lions. But, no cigar. So, maybe next year will be our year. But, aside from the Lions, there are other teams that are on target to be major contenders next season. Some of them didn't even make the playoffs this year. So, what are some early Super Bowl contenders for next season?

Before we get into those contenders, let's look at why next season is already shaping up to be so exciting. For me, the main reason is because a whopping seven teams have new head coaches. That's really going to change the makeup of those teams. The Atlanta Falcons have brought on Raheem Morris. The Carolina Panthers have Dave Canales. The Las Vegas Raiders have knabbed Antonio Pierce. The Los Angeles Chargers have Jim Harbaugh. The New England Patriots have promoted Jerod Mayo. The Seattle Seahawks have brought on Mike Macdonald. The Tennessee Titans have hired Brian Callahan. Finally, The Washington Commanders have hired Dan Quinn.

Of those new coaches, the most interesting to me is Harbaugh for the Chargers. For Harbaugh, this is his final shot at the Vince Lombardi trophy. He just won a national championship with the Michigan Wolverines, and now, he wants a Super Bowl victory. He has a chance with the Chargers' stellar quarterback Justin Herbert. But, it will take time, in my opinion. I mean, it could take time with any of these teams with new coaches. That said, the Houston Texans had a rookie coach this year in DeMeco Ryans, and they almost went all the way, so all things are possible.

Let's get into seven early Super Bowl contenders for next season with my commentary.

One thing I like about this list is that I'm not necessarily even picking teams that made it to the playoffs this year. I'm picking teams that I think could be strong enough next season. The Seattle Seahawks are one of those teams. Their new coach, Mike Macdonald, is the former defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. Enough said. This guy is golden. Seattle's defense is going to improve drastically with him at the helm, and they could go all the way very soon.

The Buffalo Bills missed the playoffs by a hair. They played so well against the Kansas City Chiefs, but it just wasn't enough. Josh Allen is a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback, but he hasn't taken them there. Will next year be the year? Maybe.

The Houston Texans will be the team to beat very soon. They pulled off an incredible season with a rookie coach and quarterback. They're just getting started. The team got first place in AFC South this season but lost in the divisional round to the Baltimore Ravens.

Speaking of the Baltimore Ravens, I'm still shocked that they fell to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game. I think pretty much everyone was at least a little surprised. But, Lamar Jackson is back next year, and he's not going to let it slip away again. Next year could be their year.

It was a massive decline for the Philadelphia Eagles towards the end of last season. Everything fell apart at the seams. But, the Eagles have legacy, and they have Jalen Hurts. As long as he's healthy, the Eagles will be back next year ready to fight.

Yikes. Can the Green Bay Packers really be this good already? They almost upset the San Francisco 49ers in the playoffs this year. Jordan Love is the real deal. Watch out for this young team next year.

Okay, yes, I'm a Detroit Lions fan, born and raised. But, I think there's reason to believe that the Detroit Lions can and will be back next year. They've had a taste of victory, and they liked it. Plus, golden guy Ben Johnson is coming back to Detroit, and he wants to take the Lions all the way. Jared Goff is playing fantastic football, too. The Lions could really make it to their first Super Bowl next season. What do you think? Let me know here.