No quarterback in the upcoming NFL Draft is as tested on the field as Alabama’s A.J. McCarron. Exactly where the Crimson Tide signal caller ends up in the 2014 Draft remains to be seen but McCarron says he has been told it could be in the first round.
“They felt like I could go anywhere from 16-35,” McCarron said on the Paul Finebaum show. “I believe that, too. At the same time, I don’t have my hopes set on anything. Whatever happens, happens. It’s a blessing for me to even be in this situation.”
How executives reached those numbers remains to be seen as he 16th pick is currently held by the Baltimore Ravens. A trade could be in order there as the Ravens want to select a signal caller but are not about to do so following the signing of Joe Flacco to a long term deal. The 35th pick is currently held by the Cleveland Browns. McCarron to Cleveland could make sense if everything was to line up, of course the Browns have other picks as well and could very well take a quarterback in the first round.
“It’s not like the GMs are calling these guys and telling them, ‘Hey, we’re going to draft this guy at this number so go ahead and put that out there,'” McCarron said. “One thing I’ve learned about this whole process, it’s nothing but a big secret.
McCarron has been listed behind Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater and Jimmy Garoppoplo on just about every NFL mock draft. Initially McCarron had been expected to go somewhere in the fourth round.
“It’s a blessed opportunity to be in this situation,” he said. “Whatever team I land to, I’ll be ready to earn my stripes and the respect from the older guys there.”
