Raiders 2024 NFL Draft: Where do the top QBs rank?
By Jason Willis
4. Michael Penix Jr. (Washington)
A fixture of college football for what feels like an eternity, we first learned of Michael Penix Jr. when he was the starter for the Indiana Hoosiers as a true freshman. Unfortunately for him, this would be where his knack for injuries began as he tore his ACL. He would suffer the same injury in 2020 as well before transferring to Washington.
Across two seasons with the Huskies, Penix became one of the country’s most productive passers and returned Washington to national prominence. With the help of three future NFL receivers, he displayed the ability to throw the deep ball with remarkable accuracy.
The hallmark of his game, he has plenty of arm strength to unleash these deep balls and generates ample velocity through his unorthodox but snappy release. Penix is a prototypical drop-back passer who, despite running a reported 4.5 40-yard dash at his pro day, would much rather stand and deliver.
Penix has his struggles on the field as well with the most glaring being his unwillingness to throw the ball in the middle of the field. This is an issue that has plagued quarterbacks in the past and often represents an issue with anticipation. This is true of Penix who often wants to see a route open rather than simply know it will be.
Of course, the two biggest questions with Penix will be his concerning injury history and his age. Scheduled to be a 24-year-old rookie with a body that’s susceptible to breaking down, it may be hard, or even impossible to hitch your wagon to him long-term.
In the right system, this is a player who can operate as an NFL starter. If he can land on a team with a quality offensive line and a playcaller willing to use his downfield aggressiveness, there could be fireworks early on in his career.
Grade: Second round.