J.J. McCarthy’s 2024 NFL Draft ascension great news for Titans

Could four quarterbacks be drafted before the Tennessee Titans come on the clock with the seventh pick?

The Tennessee Titans are expected to draft an offensive player with the No. 7 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. Whether that’s an offensive tackle, wide receiver, or even a tight end remains up for debate, but the overall consensus remains. The more quarterbacks drafted before the Titans arrive on the clock is excellent for general manager Ran Carthon and head coach Brian Callahan because other potential targets will be pushed down the board.

The three quarterbacks expected to be drafted ahead of the Titans’ pick are Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels. Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy has been more divisive despite winning a National Championship this season. A recent look around the NFL landscape indicates McCarthy could be drafted much higher than originally anticipated.

That sentiment even opens up the once unlikely possibility that four quarterbacks are drafted with the opening four overall selections. I’ve seen Marvin Harrison Jr. pushed down to fifth overall, which is closer to Tennessee’s pick than I expected. The more quarterbacks that fly off the board, the likelier the Titans are to have their pick between prospects like Joe Alt, Olu Fashanu, Malik Nabers, Rome Odunze, and even Brock Bowers.

Callahan and Carthon will collaborate on the best draft-day plan for the Titans. The Ja’Marr Chase versus Penei Sewell debate is already raging in Tennessee with Alt, Fashanu, Nabers, and Odunze all having different arguments placed in their favor. What’s clear is that the more of them available to the Titans, the better chance they draft their top-ranked prospect.

It also potentially creates trade-back possibilities for a Titans roster that possesses an abundance of needs and lacks a third-round pick. After their No. 38 overall selection in the second round, the Titans aren’t scheduled to pick again until 106. Moving down and adding an additional second-or-third-round selection would benefit Carthon, who must add young talent around Will Levis.

Draft season is typically littered with false statements/rumors, but it’s beginning to appear like McCarthy will be drafted with a top-10 selection. That would qualify as a wonderful development for the Titans, who want to draft the best non-quarterback offensive player available. Building around Levis is crucial.