Former Michigan Wolverines star and recent draft pick named as a must-watch player to watch in NFL preseason Week 1 action

After several months of waiting for this moment, the NFL preseason opening Week 1 action is finally here. The college football world still has a few weeks to wait before celebrating the arrival of Week 0, so Michigan Wolverines fans will have to cheer on their recent national champions. Among them is first-round pick J.J. McCarthy, who is now with the Minnesota Vikings.

McCarthy was recently named a must-watch player in preseason action as he battles for the Vikings No. 1 QB job. We dive into what to look for and what McCarthy has to gain against the Las Vegas Raiders.

I wrote for The 33rd Team how McCarthy's showdown with Sam Darnold for the Vikings' starting QB job is a bit strange. Here's my outlook:

The Minnesota Vikings seem hellbent on starting Sam Darnold to start the season for some reason, but we'll soon find out if they'd reevaluate things. Darnold has little on his resume to suggest he can be an average starter, so the bar isn't high for J.J. McCarthy to clear. The 10th overall pick just needs to execute the offense as he did at Michigan.

That quest begins in Week 1 against Las Vegas. The Vikings will have one of the stronger surrounding casts in the league for whoever starts at quarterback. Add in a more talented defense after a solid offseason, and the playoffs should be a realistic goal for the franchise.

If Darnold continues his turnover trends, then it's a bad sign if McCarthy can't make up the ground to win the job. Of course, if Darnold improves, then coach Kevin O'Connell will be a favorite to win NFL Coach of the Year.

The Vikings have one of the best surrounding casts, considering their head coach, receiving options, and the addition of Aaron Jones. This is a great situation for McCarthy to ease into. So why is Darnold being pushed so hard?

There are decent arguments about why the young passer could be harmed more than helped by playing right away. However, the NFL moves quickly. O'Connell seems like a good coach, but sticking with Darnold too long also opens the door for criticism and heat on his job.

My prediction is Darnold holds onto the starting gig just long enough until the team goes below .500 closer to the midpoint of the season, if they ever do. McCarthy is well-versed in being a game manager, so asking him to just move the ball downfield in the structure of the offense isn't too much. Barring a Baker Mayfield-esque season from Darnold, this week starts McCarthy's ascent into the starting role.