Major Juice

[MaroonBells]

I don't typically pay a lot of attention to arm strength. I figure if you can make all the throws, your arm is strong enough and anything beyond that isn't of much use. 

But McCarthy's 61 MPH recorded at the combine is pretty ridiculous. Here are some velos of other QBs with reputations for strong arms. In fact, the only QB (Joe Milton won't be an NFL QB) who has ever thrown harder at the combine was Josh Allen at 62 MPH.

Justin Herbert - 55
CJ Stroud - 56
Kirk Cousins - 59
Patrick Mahomes - 55 (I've seen 60 in other places, but 55 is what Ourlads recorded)
Colin Kaepernick - 59
Ryan Mallett - 58 (there were Paul Bunyan-like stories about Mallett's arm strength)
Cam Newton - 56
Joe Flacco - 55
Jordan Love - 54
Jalen Hurts - 54

[StickierBuns]

lmao, I almost a week ago started a thread just like this I was going to call Major Juice. Too funny.

JJM has all the arm you'd ever want at the position. KOC won't need to restrict any part of the playbook. The exciting part is the plays he'll make throwing deep when he's flushed and moving around. Long way to go, but physically he's what you'd want to build off of. He'll throw a tight spiral. Fingers crossed on this kid. He also threw the ball to WR Roman Wilson who ran a 4.39 forty at the Combine, so he knows what its like to throw to a fast dude.

[MaroonBells]

lmao, I almost a week ago started a thread just like this I was going to call Major Juice. Too funny.

JJM has all the arm you'd ever want at the position. KOC won't need to restrict any part of the playbook. The exciting part is the plays he'll make throwing deep when he's flushed and moving around. Long way to go, but physically he's what you'd want to build off of. He'll throw a tight spiral. Fingers crossed on this kid. He also threw the ball to WR Roman Wilson who ran a 4.39 forty at the Combine, so he knows what its like to throw to a fast dude.

It's interesting that early on in the draft process McCarthy was considered a system guy. Winner, can run your offense efficiently, good leader, has some IT factor. But damned if he isn't all that PLUS a toolsy QB with 4.48 speed and what will be one of the strongest arms in the NFL.  

Accuracy and the ability to layer throws into windows will always be more important than foot speed and arm strength, and all that remains to be seen, but there's no doubt KOC has a pretty tantalizing piece of clay to work with.

[ArizonaViking]

It's interesting that early on in the draft process McCarthy was considered a system guy. Winner, can run your offense efficiently, good leader, has some IT factor. But damned if he isn't all that PLUS a toolsy QB with 4.48 speed and what will be one of the strongest arms in the NFL.  

Accuracy and the ability to layer throws into windows will always be more important than foot speed and arm strength, and all that remains to be seen, but there's no doubt KOC has a pretty tantalizing piece of clay to work with.

I think we have a winner here... 

[JimmyinSD]

the biggest thing will be to see if he can control that cannon, touch IMO is more important that velocity on many pro level throws, the "window" is rarely there as often as there is a bucket to drop them into.

[StickierBuns]

JJM has things to work on, but I think MB's point was arm strength wasn't talked about much before the Combine by some as a major plus. People that were close to the program knew, but the lazy ones just assumed as he worked in a run oriented program at Michigan.

McCarthy is exactly what a modern NFL QB is going to be about, if you can find one: athletic, big armed but also fairly accurate. Swag and plays well under pressure. Makes plays off script. Somewhat of a gunslinger that'll let his WRers makes a play. Whether he gets there or not, I have zero idea but he's got the tools and the mindset.

[FLVike]

the biggest thing will be to see if he can control that cannon,  touch IMO is more important that velocity on many pro level throws,  the "window" is rarely there as often as there is a  bucket to drop them into.

I think it was back in November when I mentioned him and that I thought he was pretty good and you said that was your guy. He definitely looks promising.

[JimmyinSD]

I think it was back in November when I mentioned him and that I thought he was pretty good and you said that was your guy. He definitely looks promising.

I was pretty high on Penix, especially in November, but JJ was a in there with Nix as my favorite 3, never could get on board with the first 3, just think the best of the draft will come from the next group.

[Zanary]

More and more, it seems like the two knocks our heir-apparent rookie are "raw technique" and "protected by system".

Ok, let's consider these:

1. I'm assuming that most or all of us have seen references to "plans" that KOC and his crew had drawn up for potential draftee QBs, and the acquisition of Darnold tells me that they fully intend to work at THEIR pace as much as possible to bring the kid along as they see fit. Because of the (endless) references to this, I'm fairly confident that our QB coaching group is probably calling/texting/etc JJM more than family, sneaking in every bit of possible work, and hopefully the kid is putting in the time on his own to refine his rougher edges.

2. I admit to finding this complaint silly, as yeah...Michigan had a strong running game, and was able to keep things a bit easier on JJM as a result. That said, he has a solid compilation of highlights to draw from, and some of the mobility that so many have pined for in recent years. FACT: every successful system will try and capitalize on the strengths of its personnel, cover the weaknesses to an extent, and adapt to attack the weaknesses of the other team. That's the fuggin' job, so it's odd that "analysts" hack on JJM/Michigan for doing it well.

[bigbone62]

Plain and simple there was never much need for him to go out and have 30 plus attempts on a regular basis or to make frequent splash plays. Doesn't mean the talent isn't there. How often have we had to listen to MN fans drone on about wins being the only stat that matters? And that a QB who wins with average stats is better than a guy with a losing record but gaudy stats?

34-2 record in highschool. 27-1 record as a starter at Michigan. Third best win percentage by a starting QB in NCAAF history. Won a highschool state championship, highschool concensus national championship, three Big 10 championships and NCAAF national championship. I'd say that's a winner.

As for the system protecting him. Play defense, run the ball, control the clock.They excelled at these things, should they have went away from that formula just so JJM could be more appealing to fans?  They were tied for first with 40 rushing TDs. Their average scoring margin was second best at 25.5 points. Not exactly a reason to go out and throw the ball around when you are up big early and often.

As I recall, the phrase "garbage stats" used to be thrown around here often. If he had more stats in games where they were up 20 points early would that make people more comfortable? Or would they be garbage stats?