National Football League

2024 NFL Draft odds: Chargers' odds to pick J.J. McCarthy rise on draft eve

Updated Apr. 24, 2024 1:56 p.m. ET

The rumors and odds surrounding J.J. McCarthy are heating up in the final 36 hours ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft.

A new team has joined the group of favorites to select the quarterback: the Los Angeles Chargers. Jim Harbaugh's squad's odds to draft McCarthy in the days leading up to the draft now hold the fifth-best odds at +900.

Even though the Chargers already have Justin Herbert, some have speculated that Los Angeles could be a landing spot for McCarthy due to the Harbaugh connection. The former Michigan coach has spoken highly on numerous occasions of the quarterback who helped him win a national championship in 2023.

Another Michigan connection could be at play for where McCarthy lands. While there's a sense that the New England Patriots have Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye as the top three quarterbacks in the draft, the team could trade back to draft McCarthy due to the "[Robert] Kraft-[Tom] Brady connection," ESPN reported Wednesday.

The Patriots have been among the favorites to draft McCarthy since the combine, holding +400 odds to select the quarterback as of Wednesday morning.

Here's a look at the latest odds regarding McCarthy's draft status, via DraftKings Sportsbook.

J.J. McCARTHY DRAFT POSITION ODDS: *

McCarthy to be No. 1 overall pick: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
McCarthy to be No. 2 overall pick: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total)
McCarthy to be No. 3 overall pick: +400 (bet $10 to win $50 total)
McCarthy to be No. 4 overall pick: +180 (bet $10 to win $28 total)
McCarthy to be No. 5 overall pick: +240 (bet $10 to win $34 total)

J.J. MCCARTHY DRAFT POSITION OVER/UNDER: *

Over 5.5: +115 (bet $10 to win $21.50 total)
Under 5.5: -145 (bet $10 to win $16.90 total)

TEAM TO DRAFT J.J. McCARTHY ODDS: *

Minnesota Vikings: +130 (bet $10 to win $23 total)
New York Giants: +275 (bet $10 to win $37.50 total)
Denver Broncos: +320 (bet $10 to win $42 total)
New England Patriots: +400 (bet $10 to win $50 total)
Los Angeles Chargers: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
Washington Commanders: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total)
Las Vegas Raiders: +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)
Seattle Seahawks: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)

* odds as of 4/24/24

RJ Young & Dave Helman give their top QBs in the 2024 NFL Draft

While the Chargers aren't the favorites to draft McCarthy, their odds to select him have climbed in a major way in recent days.

FOX Sports' Joel Klatt mentioned the possibility of the Chargers drafting McCarthy in his final mock draft.

"Jim Harbaugh holds the keys to where his college quarterback is going to play," Klatt said on his podcast, "The Joel Klatt Show." "I would be shocked if they aren't in communication about that, and I think Harbaugh wishes in a lot of ways that he could draft McCarthy. The Chargers won't trade Justin Herbert, but I think they've kicked the tires on this. The problem is that the money doesn't work, owing Herbert too much and creating a massive dead cap hit. I don't think they've abandoned that thinking because Harbaugh loves McCarthy."

As Klatt mentioned, the Chargers drafting McCarthy would be a surprise considering Herbert's presence. But Harbaugh has spoken glowingly of McCarthy's draft status multiple times in the last few months.

"Arm talent, athleticism, it-factor, winning with numbing repetition. Don't be surprised if, when he's the No. 1 quarterback off the board. That's my prediction right now," Harbaugh said on "The Herd in February." "When people get a load of J.J. and how he can throw the ball, how he spins it, his athleticism, his intelligence.

"Talk about ‘it-factor,’ he's got it. The competitiveness that he has, and they get around him, and they really start digging in, and they start talking to him."

Harbaugh reiterated that sentiment when he spoke with reporters at the NFL's league meetings in March, telling reporters "coaches and GMs come up to me saying, 'Great job with J.J.'"

2024 NFL Draft: J.J. McCarthy odds and landing spots

There's another J.J. draft market that's on the move, and that's the Over/Under (O/U) for where he'll get selected.

FOX Sports betting analyst Patrick Everson wrote:

"On April 15 … McCarthy’s Over/Under draft position of 5.5 saw significant movement in both directions within literally just a few minutes. Under 5.5 opened as a -120 favorite, with Over 5.5 at -110. Under quickly shot to a -160 favorite, but almost as quickly, the Under price rubber-banded back to -120.

"Then it shot back up to -160 again, with all those moves taking place within 20 minutes or so.

As of Sunday afternoon, with the Draft four days out (at Circa Sports), Under 5.5 is -130 and Over 5.5 is even money (+100)."

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