What to know: As he quarterbacked the Wolverines to a national championship win, McCarthy was named a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and Manning Award. In a semifinal win over Alabama, he threw for 221 yards and three touchdowns, and he tallied 22 touchdown passes, four interceptions and nearly 3,000 yards on the season.
McCarthy’s take: “It was awesome. Coach Payton’s energy, Coach Webb, [Offensive Coordinator Joe] Lombardi, it was just really great to be in that room with them and go through tape. It was honestly a really fun time. So it was a blessing to just, you know, pick their brains a little bit and have them just shoot me questions left and right. I really enjoyed it. … [It] absolutely would be an honor to play for [Payton]. Everything about this process has been so great, and any team who selects me, it’d be an honor.”
What to know: A Heisman finalist, Nix was named the 2023 Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year after throwing for 45 touchdowns, 4,508 yards and just three interceptions. He completed an NCAA record 77.4 percent of his passes in his final season in Eugene, and he left the Ducks as the school’s all-time leader in completion percentage.
Nix’s take: “[I’m] not going to get into specifics of the meeting. Along with many other special coaches, [Payton is] one of them in the game.To be able to learn from him or anyone on that level would be fun. It would be a unique time and process.”
MICHAEL PENIX JR., Washington
What to know: Another Heisman finalist, Penix threw for 36 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and nearly 5,000 yards in his final season at Washington. After dealing with injuries early in his career at Indiana, Penix thrived in a pair of seasons at Washington. The first-team All-American led the nation in passing yards in 2023 and led the Huskies to a national championship appearance.
Penix’s take: “It was an interesting meeting, different from the others, but it was good. I felt confident going into it. Going out of it, I felt confident as well. Playing for Sean Payton, that would be special. Obviously, he’s a great coach, one of the best in the game. To be able to learn from him would be special.
“… They were tough. They were tough. … They pulled up a lot of bad plays, but it’s good, because at the next level it’s hard. It’s hard to win. I understand that. I feel like, in a way, they’re probably just trying to see how I’d react to those bad plays, if I could take accountability. … I’m always going to do that. I’m always going to put others before me and I’m going to be honest.”
