At this level, it’s beginning to become extremely clear who we must be anticipating to see as the primary participant and quarterback taken within the first spherical of the 2024 NFL Draft subsequent month. We additionally know UNC quarterback Drake Maye is combating off LSU Heisman-winner Jayden Daniels as QB2 of the draft and that Michigan nationwide champion J.J. McCarthy and Oregon’s Bo Nix are having fun with their very own late surges towards the primary spherical. One different quarterback appears to polarize greater than the remainder, as Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. continues to work to show himself as a high soccer participant.
As a three-star recruit out of Tampa Bay Tech HS (FL), Penix struggled to face out within the talent-laden state of Florida. He shortly picked up native provides from Group of 5 colleges like USF and FAU earlier than attending a camp at Tennessee and incomes his first Energy 5 supply. Ten months later, after receiving just a few different provides, Penix dedicated to the Volunteers. After the college’s firing of Butch Jones, the pinnacle coach to whom he had dedicated, Penix decommitted, taking the week earlier than an early Nationwide Signing Day to think about his choices earlier than in the end signing to attend Indiana.
Penix would redshirt his freshman yr with the Hoosiers, showing in solely three video games earlier than tearing his ACL. After getting back from his harm, Penix entered his redshirt freshman yr because the starter, profitable the job over incumbent quarterback Peyton Ramsey. In six begins, Penix would lead the Hoosiers to a 5-1 begin to the season whereas finishing 68.8 % of his cross makes an attempt for 1,394 yards and 10 touchdowns with 4 interceptions. He additionally added 119 yards on the bottom for 2 touchdowns. Sadly, Penix’s season would finish there after a sternoclavicular joint sprain and clavicle fracture on his non-throwing, proper shoulder would maintain him out for the rest of the season.
Penix would return in 2020 because the starter as soon as once more and as soon as once more lead the crew to a 5-1 begin. His completion share suffered because the crew leaned extra closely on his arm, however he would improve his manufacturing to 1,645 passing yards and 14 touchdowns earlier than struggling a second torn ACL to finish his third season. In his last yr because the Indiana starter, Penix seemed like a shell of his former self. The Hoosiers began the season 2-3 as Penix threw for 939 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions in 5 begins whereas solely finishing 53.7 % of his passes. His time in Bloomington ended, as soon as once more, together with his fourth season-ending harm, this one a dislocated joint in his throwing shoulder.
As a substitute of laying down to observe his soccer profession die, Penix opted to hop into the switch portal. Because of his utilized redshirt and the additional yr of eligibility granted to gamers at school through the 2020 COVID-19 impacted season, the lefty passer nonetheless had two years of eligibility left, and at last, in Seattle, Penix was provided the chance to play for a contender. Penix turned the starter at Washington and instantly led the Huskies to a profitable season following their 4-8 2021 marketing campaign.
At Washington, Penix rediscovered his accuracy, finishing simply over 65 % of his passes in each years with the crew. In the course of the crew’s 2022 marketing campaign, Penix led the nation in passing yards per sport en path to changing into the college’s all-time single-season passing chief with 4,641 yards whereas scoring 31 touchdowns by means of the air and 4 extra on the bottom. He adopted that up with a 14-1 season that may take Washington to the Nationwide Championship sport, in the end falling to McCarthy’s Wolverines. Nonetheless, in 2023, Penix broke his personal single-season document with 4,903 passing yards (thanks to 2 additional video games) and handed for 36 touchdowns whereas dashing for 3 extra. He led the FBS in passing yards, however even together with his additional video games, he additionally led the nation in passing yards per sport for the second season in a row.
Now, lastly out of eligibility, Penix is able to head to the NFL following a profitable faculty profession. He brings an aggressive strategy to the passing sport with a capability to ship fast strikes and throw aggressive balls downfield for his receivers to win. He doesn’t lack confidence, displaying a willingness to make each throw at each degree of the sector however may nonetheless stand to enhance in a few of these areas, particularly intermediate passes throughout the center of the sector. This could lead to a couple missed passes and, whereas he did put up spectacular completion percentages, rating twenty eighth within the nation at 65.4 in 2023, his fellow draft candidates, USC’s Caleb Williams (twelfth at 68.6), Daniels (seventh at 72.2), McCarthy (sixth at 72.3) and Nix (first at 77.4), all confirmed higher accuracy this previous yr.
Different nitpicks on Penix revolve round inconsistent mechanics and an lack of ability to sense strain (maybe a symptom of left-handedness in a right-hander’s sport), however the greatest areas of concern encompass his well being. Earlier than transferring, Penix suffered 4 season-ending accidents in as a few years. Many positioned the utmost significance on his medical evaluations on the NFL scouting mix, and Ian Rapoport of NFL Community delivered the good news that his medical testing “went effectively,” claiming that “any medical questions that Penix had appear to be type of pushed just a little again below the radar.”
With that, let the hypothesis start. The claims of Penix’s polarization come from the truth that mock drafts place him anyplace from No. 8 general to the second and third spherical. Each ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Dane Brugler of The Athletic rank Penix because the draft’s sixth-best passing prospect, following the 5 talked about above. Each pundits even have him slipping into the second spherical of the draft, with each citing accidents as a essential concern. Maybe, they consider that his mix clearance was extra sweeping his harm potential below the rug than declaring it a non-issue.
Nonetheless, it solely takes one entrance workplace to disagree. The consensus appears to be that Penix has first-round potential in his sport, however he has to remain on the sector so as to present it. If any crew sees his 28 straight wholesome video games at Washington and feels assured about his well being, or if any crew feels assured of their offensive line’s means to maintain Penix on the sector, there’s completely a risk that we hear his identify known as on Day 1 of the draft, particularly if we see a run on quarterbacks early. If not, there are a number of groups with non permanent or non-cemented choices at quarterback that might simply take a flyer on Penix within the second spherical.
The Bears, Commanders, Patriots and Broncos have been seen as groups clearly seeking to choose a passer within the first spherical, however the Giants, Vikings and Raiders is also tempted. New York has Daniel Jones however could possibly be keen on drafting his inheritor obvious. The Vikings brought in
Sam Darnold, who has by no means spent a full season as a starter, so they might be keen on a younger passer to mildew. Las Vegas brought in
Gardner Minshew to compete with Aidan O’Connell however could also be keen on a passer with extra potential upside. Additionally keep watch over groups just like the Seahawks and Rams, who’ve getting older veterans and will wish to usher in a rookie to compete with their different younger, growing backups.
There’s no restrict of potentialities for the place we might even see Penix go in late April. He will be the league’s first left-handed quarterback taken within the first spherical since Tua Tagovailoa, or he may free-fall into the second or third spherical. There are lots extra mock drafts to return between every now and then across the web, so keep watch over the constant rise and fall of Penix’s draft inventory within the weeks between now and the draft.
