Vikings Draft Michigan Quarterback J.J. McCarthy with 10th Pick

Jeremiah and others have pointed out that Darnold's presence will allow Minnesota to develop the rookie at the pick's pace.

The former scout was asked if McCarthy could land in the top 5, despite being asked to do less in the passing game at Michigan than his draft classmates at their respective schools.

"The best way I heard this explained to me, and I love the way it was said … somebody was watching tape with McCarthy. They were watching a drive and they got into the red zone, and he said, 'Well, you can kind of fast-forward it from here. And he's like, 'Well, what do you mean?' He's like, 'Well, this is just Michigan football from here on in, we're just going to run the ball,' like that's going to work and they're going to get their way in the end zone," Jeremiah said. "And Jim Harbaugh wasn't going to, you know, why, why throw it if you don't have to throw it? And they didn't. [McCarthy told the person], 'We worked on red zone passing every day in practice and put in all the work, and I've got all that experience.'

"So that's why it's a difficult evaluation, because you can see him do everything you want him to do, or that you need a big-time quarterback to do," Jeremiah added. "It's just the numbers, in terms of the volume is not there. So you've got somebody, that if you look at him from a size standpoint, I think he's put on like 15 pounds in the last year. I think he's still growing into his body. He's gonna be a bigger guy.

"Everybody that was at the pro days that I talked to said he threw it as well or better than any of the top quarterbacks. He's got a live, you know big-time, live arm, so you've got enough size, a guy that is still growing, he's got a big arm, he's incredibly smart," Jeremiah continued. "There's things you can latch on to there. You're just going to have to have some faith, and some do and some don't on what you're buying there."