Former Michigan star struggling in training camp

The expectations remain sky high for the 2024 10th overall pick and Minnesota Vikings redshirt rookie quarterback, J.J. McCarthy.

McCarthy missed all of last year with a torn meniscus, but after Sam Darnold capitalized on his breakout campaign to ink a major deal with the Seattle Seahawks, the job and the weight of the Vikings are on McCarthy.

Despite his success at the University of Michigan and immense talent, it has been a difficult start in training camp against defensive coordinator Brian Flores and his sensational unit.

Alec Lewis of The Athletic shared these observations:

“The Vikings’ defense is just on an entirely different level right now. You have Jonathan Greenard and Dallas Turner synced up in their celebrations, you have Andrew Van Ginkel obliterating folks. It’s very one-sided.”

McCarthy, who was asked about Flores’ defensive pressure and complicated blitz packages, added this:

“I mean, the rush and being able to not sit in the pocket and hold the ball. You’ve got to make quick, decisive decisions, and you really have to a plan and a process going up to each and every play. And once that ball hits your fingertips, you know they’re gonna be firing off.”

McCarthy did miss months with that knee injury, and a slight reintroduction period to live football is not uncommon. Even if he continues to struggle against Flores’ schemes, there is perhaps no better preparation for real Sundays than a ferocious defense.

McCarthy still has a plethora of weapons, headlined by receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, and should thrive in head coach Kevin O’Connell’s system, which transformed the aforementioned Darnold’s career.

McCarthy is also not the type of player to get discouraged. Despite arriving in Ann Arbor as one of the top passers in his high school class, he had to sit behind veteran Cade McNamara for a year.

Adversity is nothing new for him, and it will only be a matter of time before he shines in the NFL.