JJ Mac ... I don't get it

[MaroonBells]

JJM is strictly a projection pick. There’s nothing in his actual play that screams elite QB. What does standout for him is top tier arm talent and great athleticism. He’s shown himself to be cool under pressure and able to make all the throws necessary.

When it comes to reviewing a QB’s performance, winning percentage or a title mean absolutely nothing to me. JJM played on a stacked team that didn’t ask much of him. That’s not his fault, but it’s certainly not a positive for him personally. If you watch the games, they win a lot where he had very little to do with it.

As for natural QB accuracy here are Nix’s stats downfield on the year:

Per PFF Nix was 62 of 91 on passes of 10-19 yards for 1,169 yards, 16 touchdowns and one interception for a passing grade of 94.7. His passing grade on attempts 20+ yards downfield was 95.5 (26 of 51 for 999 yards, 13 TD, 2 INT). 

His passing grade on deep throws (20+ yards) was tied with Caleb Williams. He was No. 1 in college football on intermediate throws (10-19 yards) with a 94.7 grade. For context, Drake Maye's grade on intermediate throws was 83.8 and Williams' grade was 78.0.

Nix’s receivers dropped a lot of balls. When you take out drops and throwaways, his accuracy was something like 85%. He had guys in bombs drop them, slow up, and trip and fall down or those stats would have been even better.

I think Nix is rated much higher by some NFL teams. I read one of the most ridiculous claims the other day where a GM reportedly told a reporter he thought Nix was like a 5th round pick. That tells me at least one team is in love with him haha!

I think McCarthy's winning percentage and Nix's completion percentage should both be thrown out considering the offenses they were in.

[purplefaithful]

I think its fair to say at this point that JJ and Nix are probably the most polarizing of the 6 qb's.

[MaroonBells]

I think its fair to say at this point that JJ and Nix are probably the most polarizing of the 6 qb's.

Oh I don't know. After Williams and Daniels, there's a lot of disagreement about Maye and Penix too. We have people saying that Maye would be the undisputed 1st overall pick 9 years out of 10. Others who put him 6th.

[StickierBuns]

lol, polarizing is in the eye of the beholder. JJ McCarthy is a lump of clay that KOC would love to have. Not sure it will happen.

[JimmyinSD]

Nix played basically the same opponents as Penix and Williams, i would discount the opponents for all 3, but then how does Williams get the undisputed #1 spot when he really looked like the worst of the 3 pac QBs this year IMO. As far as a gimmick O? I dont know about that, what is a gimmick O, if its a winning O does it translate to the pro game, many say it will, so what is gimmicky if the demands of the position are the same, kirk made a living on the short yardage stuff and then asking his receivers to make plays on many occasions, if they give you something, you take it, and keep taking it until they take it away as long as its moving the chains and putting points on the board, and thats the rule at every level of football. baseball is the only stupid game where you dont take what they give you because of some unwritten rules.

[JR44]

Nix played basically the same opponents as Penix and Williams,  i would discount the opponents for all 3,  but then how does Williams get the undisputed #1 spot when he really looked like the worst of the 3 pac QBs this year IMO.  As far as a gimmick O?  I dont know about that,  what is a gimmick O,  if its a winning O does it translate to the pro game,  many say it will, so what is gimmicky if the demands of the position are the same,  kirk made a living on the short yardage stuff and then asking his receivers to make plays on many occasions,  if they give you something,  you take it,  and keep taking it until they take it away as long as its moving the chains and putting points on the board,  and thats the rule at every level of football.  baseball is the only stupid game where you dont take what they give you  because of some unwritten rules.

I am on the west coast and watched a lot of PAC12, which was one of the most competitive top to bottom and ended up with 3 teams in the top 11.  I watched almost every snap of Williams during his USC career and he was easily the most impressive college QB I have ever seen in college, he can do it all, consistently reminded me of Mahomes.  He had an awful OL and was running from the time he got the snap on most plays, he also had a terrible defense so always had to play from behind.  

I am a huge Nix fan and think he is being really undervalued.  He has all the tools and the most underrated thing about his game is that he is a competitor and will do whatever it takes to win, great leader.  I see a lot of Drew Brees in his game in that he is not flashy, which is why he may be overlooked, but he just finds a way to get it done.  Penix has incredible arm talent, but I don't think he has the mental toughness that Nix has, one thing that always bugged me about him is that when the games were tight at the end and they were on defense, he would hide his head in some equipment case and not watch.

[JimmyinSD]

I am on the west coast and watched a lot of PAC12, which was one of the most competitive top to bottom and ended up with 3 teams in the top 11.  I watched almost every snap of Williams during his USC career and he was easily the most impressive college QB I have ever seen in college, he can do it all, consistently reminded me of Mahomes.  He had an awful OL and was running from the time he got the snap on most plays, he also had a terrible defense so always had to play from behind.  

I am a huge Nix fan and think he is being really undervalued.  He has all the tools and the most underrated thing about his game is that he is a competitor and will do whatever it takes to win, great leader.  I see a lot of Drew Brees in his game in that he is not flashy, which is why he may be overlooked, but he just finds a way to get it done.  Penix has incredible arm talent, but I don't think he has the mental toughness that Nix has, one thing that always bugged me about him is that when the games were tight at the end and they were on defense, he would hide his head in some equipment case and not watch.

I thought Williams over reaction to pressure caused a fair amount of their offensive troubles,   he ran around when he didn't need to,  sometimes it worked out,  sometimes it didn't,   but I think he was to quick to scramble,  where Penix was the opposite,  stood tall, often a tick to long,  but was able to make more plays because he wasn't running around taking his eyes off downfield.  Williams looked like the show,  but Penix, IMO,  was the show.   Time will tell.

[Havoc]

I think McCarthy's winning percentage and Nix's completion percentage should both be thrown out considering the offenses they were in.

I agree, I think you throw out the behind the line completely if you want to get an accurate picture. Even though other players throw their share, if he still has good numbers with all his behind the line brows out, it definitely tells you something.

[PapaScott]

Seems like he's got what Kirk didn't have, winning the big games. Im sure the powers that be know what they are doing and will do their do diligence

[StickierBuns]

This is my guy. Final stamp of approval. JJ McCarthy as a Viking.

I'll get behind other guys if that happens, but this is my preference.