Article on 5 star QB JJ McCarthy

There is a long article in today's Chicago Tribune focusing on JJ McCarthy, the 5 start QB recruiting target from Illinois.

LINK:  Narareth QB J.J. McCarthy got his first Power 5 offer in the 8th grade. Now Michigan, Northwestern, Notre Dame and Texas are among the teams courting him.

Note:  I have a subscription to the Trib, so this may be paywalled. Still, here are a few quotes.

Where he might go:  "Michigan is perceived to be in the lead for McCarthy, who will visit Ann Arbor this weekend."

Toughness:  "Days before the Class 7A state title game in November, McCarthy declared he would rather have his fractured thumb cut off than miss the game. Then he led the Roadrunners to a 31-10 victory over St. Charles North."

Harbaugh:  "“You never know what you will get out of him,” he says. “He doesn’t let the quarterbacks eat chicken because they are weak birds. I thought that was funny because I’m not a big fan of chicken. I like steak.”

And more on Harbaugh:  "Harbaugh’s visit to Nazareth got canceled by the polar vortex. But McCarthy visited Ann Arbor last month for the Wolverines’ open spring practice and says he was impressed by how Harbaugh, a former NFL quarterback, interacted with his passers.

Michigan:  “And they’re in South Africa right now,” McCarthy says of the team trip. “That is so cool.”

His coach:  "For what it’s worth, Racki, 51, [edit:  Nazareth head coach] is a Wolverines fan. His father’s side of the family is from Michigan, and he dreamed of playing there before suiting up for Southern Illinois."

Ranking:  "McCarthy is the nation’s No. 19 player in the 247Sports.com composite, which aggregates ratings from 247, Rivals.com and ESPN. Steve Wiltfong, 247’s lead analyst who is 8-for-8 in his Class of 2021 predictions, believes he will choose Michigan.

Football skills:  McCarthy is an ideal spread quarterback.  “He could run any offense,” Racki says. “He could run the wishbone, honestly. He is that good of an athlete, that good speed-wise. He’s fast, athletic enough and tough enough because he’s a hockey player. Has a rocket arm and he can move.”

Goals:  McCarthy is flattered by all the attention but says college football is a steppingstone to his long-term goal: “NFL MVP.”

Advice from Julian Love, ND player drafted in 4th round by Giants:  "With college I’d advise him to go with whatever is comfortable, no matter where it is. At the end of the day, (the rankings) don’t matter at all.”

We'll see what happens on the visit this weekend. Harbaugh is really packing it in, going from South Africa back to Ann Arbor and immediately hosting McCarthy.