Draft Fact or Fiction: McCarthy in the Top 4, Jared Verse's Stock, Nabers to the Chargers
In today’s Fact or Fiction — NFL Draft edition — I look at three big recent topics around the NFL Draft and decide whether the statement is indeed FACT or if it’s FICTION.
1. QB JJ McCarthy is worth a top-four pick.
Farrell’s take: FACT
Many won’t agree with me here, but hear me out. Whoever trades up to get him at No. 4, and someone likely will, could be getting a Kirk Cousins type for a decade. That’s not so shabby. McCarthy has more natural talent than Cousins did coming out of college, but they play similar games and are great at running a balanced offense. Minnesota at No. 4 looks great here to replace Cousins, and it would be a good pick.
Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) makes a pass against Alabama linebacker Deontae Lawson (32) during the second half of the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024.
© Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK
2. DE Jared Verse will go top 10.
Farrell’s take: FICTION
I have Alabama’s Dallas Turner as my No. 1 EDGE, but it’s almost a 1A, 1B situation here. The problem? Four or even five QBs could land top 10, three WRs are sure to land top 10 and it’s an elite OT class as well. Atlanta at No. 8 and Chicago at No. 9 could be in the EDGE market, but I don’t see Turner and Verse going back to back, and Verse slides to Arizona if they trade back to No. 11 or to the Rams or someone else in the mid-teens.
Recommended Articles
3. The Chargers will go on WR Malik Nabers.
Farrell’s take: FACT
Unless Marvin Harrison Jr. slides out of the top four after a run on QBs, I think the Chargers go Nabers at No. 5. Heck, they might even take him if Harrison Jr. is around. I hear they like him that much. Justin Herbert needs a weapon who can stretch the field and this is the guy.
LATEST FARRELL
