One of the more interesting prospects in this year’s NFL Draft is Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. He’s both incredibly talented but not without his own health concerns that impact his draft stock.
While discussing Field Yates’ two-round mock draft on First Draft, Kiper and Yates spoke about where Penix will go and the possibility that it ends up being the Raiders. However, as Kiper explained, what’s most important to Penix individually is going to be going somewhere with a good offensive line.
“Michael Penix Jr. can spin it,” Kiper said. “We know that. He can make all the throws, but he needs a pocket. He’s obviously off-platform is not his forte. He had great receivers to throw to, the two studs at tackle, had Dillon Johnson in the backfield. But he has had the injuries. He got beat up in that championship game, not gonna hold that against him.”
During his time in college, Penix spent four years with Indiana and two with Washington. While at Indiana, he suffered four major injuries, including multiple torn ACLs and two injuries to his non-throwing shoulder.
At Washington, Penix put up massive numbers and led the Huskies to an appearance in a national championship game. However, he did that from behind a top-tier offensive line and typically had a clean pocket. Now, according to Kiper, he’ll need that in the NFL too.
“Go to the last two years, 19 interceptions and in the fourth quarter he was 59 percent only. To me, when he’s in rhythm and he’s got time and you give him the clean pocket, boy, he can make any throw, and he can throw to all levels. He’s got touch. He’s got accuracy when he has the proper time to throw, and again, the o-line’s going to determine his fate. What type of offensive line does he go to? The structure there. The cohesiveness there and the consistency with your line.”
Johnny Manziel says Michael Penix is the second-best QB prospect
Former first round pick Johnny Manziel praised Michael Penix Jr. as the second-best quarterback option in the 2024 NFL Draft.
“A lot of people said he succumbed to the pressure in the national championship game and that he didn’t make the throws. If you look at him and where his receivers were that day, they were off by half a step on everything. Those days happen and if you go back and you really look at where he was at his best, the semifinal game against Texas, that’s as pro-ready of tape as you could ever see from a guy going into the NFL. You pair that with what he’s done throughout this draft process and we’re sitting here, three weeks before the draft, and I am so high on Penix,” Manziel said.
“That Texas game, there are a few plays where you sit there and you watch the Texas defensive players sitting there looking back like, ‘What just happened?’ You sit there and you raise your hands up and you’re like, ‘That guy just beat us because of who he is.’ I think he has those kinds of intangibles that you need in the NFL. People can be down on him all they want, but I see him as the No. 2 quarterback prospect in this draft class.”
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