Alright, let’s talk about this J.J. McCarthy situation. I kept hearing his name pop up everywhere, especially with all the draft talk heating up earlier this year. So, I decided, you know what, I’m gonna actually sit down and really watch this guy play. Not just highlights, but actual game footage.
So, I carved out some time over a weekend. Pulled up a couple of Michigan’s big games from last season. My whole goal wasn’t just to see if they won or lost, but to focus specifically on McCarthy. What was he doing? How did he look?
My Observation Process
Here’s kinda how I went about it:
- Step 1: Picked two, maybe three full games. Wanted to see him against different levels of defense if possible.
- Step 2: Made a conscious effort to watch him on every offensive snap. Where were his eyes? How was his footwork (or what looked like his footwork to me, I’m no pro scout)? How did he handle pressure?
- Step 3: Tried to ignore the announcers initially. Wanted to form my own first impression without their commentary coloring it too much.
- Step 4: Jotted down some quick notes. Like, literally just scribbled stuff like “good poise there,” or “forced that throw,” or “looked off target.” Real simple stuff.
What I noticed was interesting. Sometimes he looked really composed, making the right reads, delivering the ball accurately. You could see the flashes of why people were so high on him. He definitely had moments where he looked like a leader out there, managing the game well, especially in that offense which ran the ball a lot.
But then, there were other times. Under pressure, things sometimes looked a bit sped up. Maybe didn’t always seem to see the whole field, or held onto the ball a tick too long. Some throws just seemed a bit off, you know? It wasn’t always consistent. It felt like you could see the potential, absolutely, but also areas where you could tell he was still developing.
It was a useful exercise, actually. Instead of just listening to hot takes or reading articles, spending a few hours just watching the tape for yourself gives you a different feel. You start picking up on little tendencies, body language, stuff like that. Doesn’t make me an expert, obviously, but it felt like I got a much more grounded perspective on him just by doing that direct observation. Way different than just consuming opinions.
