2020
A.J. Henning – WR – Frankfort (IL) Lincoln-Way East: Henning is a 5’10”, 175-pounder with offers from Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Ohio State, among others. He’s a 4-star, the #15 wide receiver, and #77 overall. He claims a 4.46 forty, a 4.08 shuttle, and a 37″ vertical. All six of his crystal ball predictions are for Notre Dame.
2021
J.J. McCarthy – QB – La Grange Park (IL) Nazareth Academy: McCarthy is a 6’2″, 180 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan, Northwestern, Ohio State, and Wisconsin, among others. He’s a 247 Sports 4-star, the #2 pro-style quarterback, and #19 overall. His crystal ball predictions are 100% in favor of the Wolverines.
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JJ McCarthy is listed as the #2 pro QB for 2021. The QB listed at #1 is Sam Huard. LINK:
https://247sports.com/Season/2021-Football/RecruitRankings/?InstitutionGroup=HighSchool&Position=PRO
Sam Huard is the son of Damon Huard. His uncles are Brock and Luke Huard.
“Grew up in a quarterback family (father Damon Huard is former NFL starter, two uncles also played quarterback at the FBS level). Smooth and quick release. Reads the field and can get through progressions quickly. Good arm strength, throws a nice deep ball, but can also make the short and intermediate throws on the money. Decent athlete and mobility, but more of a pure pocket passer. Very accurate, can fit the ball in tight windows. Great intangibles, high football IQ. Can tell he grew up around the game. Projects as immediate Power 5 starter and projects as first round pick (Player Comparison: Derek Carr)”
LINK to quote: https://247sports.com/Player/Sam-Huard-46048437/
I’ve watched video of both. McCarthy looks like the better QB, as far as passing goes, and as far as pocket awareness goes. It looks like Huard has much better pass protection. He’s able to set up in the pocket, look around, and solidly step into passes. McCarthy is on the run all the time, but keeps his eyes down field while evading the pressure. He’s under pressure a lot. On some plays an entire defensive line breaks free and is flushing him. Him being on the run all the time reminds me a of how Cade McNamara was always on the run in high school, but was able to find open receivers. He seems more accurate overall than Huard. Huard throws a tad behind the receiver on outs too many times. Not placing out pattern passes correctly is a big problem to me. It’s one pass that can’t be thrown badly. It has to be just right. It especially can’t be thrown behind the receiver in any way. Really though, it’s hard to complain about Huard, because some of his passes are just beautifully thrown.
I like McCarthy more than Huard. Maybe I’m biased because McCarthy has chosen Michigan (so far). But he seems the more exciting QB. And his accuracy on some passes is beauty to behold.
Here’s links to both, to see for yourself, and what you think of both:
Sam Huard:
https://www.hudl.com/video/3/5109032/5bdf9ef28cd5b00e58b90b58
JJ McCarthy:
https://www.hudl.com/video/3/9356262/5bcc996a57984f0e10ae9af6
I like how McCarthy keeps his eyes downfield when he is scrambling. It’s something you can’t teach. The higher a QB goes in football the more he needs to do it. And I like it that I already see McCarthy doing it, like Cade McNamara already does it.
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Some might say you’re setting unrealistically high expectations for these kids 17
I appreciate the analysis. Still too early for me to look at 2021 guys, but posts like this will keep both in mind as their time gets closer. Go Blue
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I think in the videos they’re both 15, playing on Varsity as sophomores.
The part about Derrick Carr is a quote from 247.
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FWIW Somebody on the internet was saying that Notre Dame played McCarthy to get their preferred target (Tyler Buchner) to commit. That apparently rubbed McCarthy the wrong and is pushing him to Michigan. Good news for the good guys, hopefully.
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Hopefully this makes a difference with Henning. Things seem to be tracking poorly with McGregor and Rogers. That’s 3 of the “Key 6” with Noah Nelson,
Maliq Carr, William Mohan being the others mentioned by Thunder.
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If JJ McCarthy and JD Johnson both come to Michigan, it makes me wonder what will happen with JD Johnson. I don’t think JD Johnson is as good as JJ McCarthy. I guess that wouldn’t be the first time a team has had two starting caliber QBs and one transfers out.
I also wonder how much longer Joe Milton will last at Michigan before transferring. I don’t think he will ever start, even in years to come, unless by injury to the two, and maybe in years to come three, QBs ahead of him. I still don’t think he is a Power 5 starting caliber QB. But we’ll see. Maybe he will prove me wrong. I have never been sold on him. There’s just too many areas that need improvement. I still think he should have gone to a smaller program where he would be at 2nd string right now, with a real shot at starting. It’s probably just me.
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It’s not just you
Milton should hang around this year though. Mac is still very thin, so he’s really close to being the backup, and getting decent snaps as a RSFr. Maybe he can develop?
IDK, but the first few impressions we’ve seen haven’t been great
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In considering forecasts of QB depth charts out 2 years or more, I remember back to names like Scott Driesbach, Drew Henson, Clayton Richard, Matt Gutierrez, Ryan Mallet, Tate Forcier, Shane Morris, John O’Korn, and Brandon Peters. Some of these were really good QBs and some weren’t but none of them had the Michigan careers that they looked like they might at one point.
Those ‘eras’ either never got off the ground, crashed and burned, or got rerouted. And that’s all after they got to campus and proved themselves in some form (practice at least) beyond high school.
The only examples I can remember of excited 2-years-out projections being remotely accurate was for young Gardner (2011 and 2012) and Henne (2005). The third guy who had their career play out in full was not well thought of and much maligned – Navarre. That’s it for the last 20 years, I think.
Obviously the starting QB in 2021 and beyond could be any number of guys, no matter how excited we are about any particular one. History tells us the exercise is foolhardy. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t get excited, just that we shouldn’t assume the backups need to transfer out to make way for the anointed.
I remain optimistic about Harbaugh’s eye for QB talent and development skills, even if things kind of didn’t go as well as hoped with Peters and things have been wobbly on offense in general. There will certainly be transfers to come but I think Harbaugh should keep encouraging competition and depth and if anyone is skittish about their prospects in the future it won’t be hard to give them examples of successful players in similar circumstances. I am glad McCaffrey decided not to take the Brandon Peters era or Shea Pattersons transfer as reasons to leave the program.
Resiliency is good. Uncertainty is real. Predictions are hard.
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It’s a message board, meant for speculation. Transfers are a hot topic for speculation because the portal makes it easier to assume and a more relative off-season conversation
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