Analyst addresses changing draft stocks of QBs J.J. McCarthy, Drake Maye

For a piece published on Friday morning, ESPN NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller detailed how Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy and North Carolina Tar Heels signal-caller Drake Maye have essentially switched spots as it pertains to how some rank the prospects heading into April. 

"One of the most interesting nuggets I've picked up over the past two weeks is that multiple NFL teams have McCarthy ranked ahead of North Carolina's Drake Maye," Miller explained. "A high-ranking evaluator I spoke to this week said McCarthy's winning résumé, upside as a mobile QB and impeccable poise under pressure all graded out higher for them than Maye. When under pressure last season, McCarthy completed an FBS-best 68% of his passes and averaged 10 yards per attempt (second-best)."

The rise of McCarthy's draft stock became one of the more interesting NFL stories of March. While he began the month listed fourth in a plethora of rankings for quarterback prospects behind Maye (second or third), Jayden Daniels of the LSU Tigers (second or third) and Caleb Williams of the USC Trojans (first), some now think the Washington Commanders could take McCarthy with the second overall pick. 

ESPN NFL analyst and former quarterback Dan Orlovsky has repeatedly raised eyebrows by saying that he views Daniels and not Williams as the top quarterback prospect of this draft class. Others have suggested that Maye needs to sit as a rookie and work on aspects of his game such as his footwork. 

According to Greg Dudek of NESN, Orlovsky praised Maye during Thursday's edition of the ESPN "NFL Live" program after the North Carolina product impressed during a pro day workout. 

"The thing I was looking for the most was… how were his feet going to look? Those definitely looked much improved when it came to just the rhythm of him throwing rather than the natural talent and athleticism of him throwing," Orlovsky said about Maye. 

CBS Sports' Ryan Wilson and Chris Trapasso are among those still predicting via mock drafts that Maye will be the third quarterback drafted on the night of April 25 after Williams and Daniels. 

Wilson and Trapasso seemingly aren't buying the McCarthy hype, but new Commanders general manager Adam Peters may feel strongly about the national champion roughly one month from now.