Five-Star Quarterback Commit J.J. McCarthy Transfers To IMG Academy

Five-star quarterback prospect J.J. McCarthy is the latest player to attend IMG Academy before continuing his football career at Michigan.

Earlier in the day, five-star Michigan quarterback commit J.J. McCarthy announced he would be transferring from Nazareth Academy in Illinois to attend IMG Academy, meaning his senior season would be spent in Florida surrounded by some of the most talented prospects in the nation.

“I want to thank everyone at Nazareth Academy for the past 3 years,” McCarthy posted on Twitter. “In my 3 years at Nazareth, I’ve been to 3 state championships. Those state championships will never match the friendships and relationships I’ve made with my teammates, coaches, teacher and classmates over those 3 years. NAZ will always be my family.”

McCarthy also mentioned the uncertainty of fall high school athletics in Illinois as one of the mitigating factors in his decision to transfer. But now that he will be at IMG this fall, McCarthy also has the opportunity to enroll early at Michigan, a goal that posed several challenges while he was at Nazareth.

As a result, McCarthy is the latest in what is becoming a fairly accomplished group of players to play at IMG Academy before lacing up their cleats at Michigan. Several other players to travel the same route to Ann Arbor include: Myles Rowser, Greg Crippen, D.J. Turner, Charles Thomas, Jordan Anthony, Shea Patterson and Cesar Ruiz.

Myles Rowser – Safety – IMG Academy

As a 2022 recruit originally from Belleville (Mich.), Rowser is rated as a four-star prospect and the No. 11 safety in the country. On January 13, Rowser committed to Michigan over a host of other Power Five offers, but he has since walked back that declaration, stating that he wants to take visits to other schools in order to determine that U-M is the right fit for him. Rowser expressed a desire to play multiple positions and mentioned that U-M defensive coordinator Don Brown primarily sees him as a player who could cover the slot as a nickelback.

Greg Crippen – Offensive Lineman – IMG Academy

Originally hailing from Massachusetts, a state Michigan has recruited very well over the past couple seasons, Crippen brings a heap of versatility to the IMG offensive line. Crippen has experience at both guard and center, and the prospect is rated as the No. 4 center in the country. He is slated to play a lot at center this year, though Michigan may shift him back over to guard at the next level.

D.J. Turner – Michigan – Defensive Back

In his freshman season at U-M, Turner saw the field in four games and was a special teams contributor when he was in the game. As a senior at IMG, Turner logged 17 tackles, four pass breakups, three tackles for loss, two interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. As a junior North Gwinnett High School, Turner posted 78 tackles, nine pass breakups, eight tackles for loss and two interceptions before joining IMG.

Charles Thomas – Michigan – Linebacker

Entering Michigan as a three-star inside linebacker, Thomas, like Turner, experienced his first dose of college football through special teams in 2019. Thomas played in two games last year and earned his varsity letter in the process. During his senior campaign at IMG, Thomas racked up 49 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and one sack in addition to a 44-yard punt return touchdown.

Jordan Anthony – Michigan – Linebacker

At Michigan, Anthony has seen his role on the team grow gradually from his freshman to sophomore seasons. In his first year, Anthony accumulated three tackles in seven games before upping that total to 11 tackles and one quarterback hurry in nine games last season. Anthony is now in the transfer portal and will apparently finish his career elsewhere.

Cesar Ruiz – Center – New Orleans Saints

Arriving at Michigan as the top-ranked high school center in his class, Cesar Ruiz was an impact player for the Wolverines as soon as he stepped on campus. In his three seasons, Ruiz started 31 games and played in 36 total contests for Michigan, most of which saw Ruiz anchoring the U-M offensive line at center. Ruiz was a two-time All-Big Ten honoree and was drafted by the New Orleans Saints with the 24 selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, the first Michigan prospect to fly off the board.

Shea Patterson – Quarterback – Kansas City Chiefs

After beginning his college career at Ole Miss, Shea Patterson transferred to Michigan with two years of eligibility left. Patterson’s Michigan tenure was marred by ball security issues, and he was never able to put Michigan in contention to battle for a Big Ten championship. As a junior, Patterson tossed 22 touchdowns to go with seven interceptions and 23 touchdowns with eight picks as a senior. Patterson was undrafted in this year’s NFL Draft, but he signed a contract with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent several days after the draft.