J.J. McCarthy

Justin Jefferson said J.J. McCarthy has displayed good arm strength in offseason practices.

McCarthy’s arm strength has been a persistent topic of discussion since before the Vikings took him in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. “He definitely has an arm,” Jefferson said when asked about McCarthy’s velocity. “That’s for sure. He can definitely zip it whenever he needs to.” McCarthy said the questions about his arm strength stem from his relatively small stature and the run-first offense he played in at Michigan. “A lot of [the public doubt] just comes with the stigma of playing at Michigan and not throwing the ball a lot,” he said. McCarthy, according to ESPN, is learning to “layer” his throws this offseason after using a “one speed pitch” in college. Coming off a season-ending knee injury last August, McCarthy says he feels “stronger than ever” headed into training camp. He’s the strong favorite to be under center for Week 1.