Michael Penix Jr. has seen his stock improve after putting on a show at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. In the latest draft rankings released by Daniel Jeremiah, the Washington signal-caller moved five spots up, making him the 33rd-best prospect ahead of this summer.
“Penix has exceptional arm strength and toughness. He has a unique, whippy, three-quarters delivery from the left side, and the ball explodes out of his hand,” wrote Jeremiah via the NFL Network. “He can hang on his back foot and effortlessly drive the ball 55 yards. He excels at driving throws outside and tosses a beautiful, lofting deep ball.
“He does have issues getting throws up and down in the middle of the field. His ball can stay flat. He is quick to process and consistently gets to No. 3 in the route progression. He flashed the ability to avoid, escape, and create against Texas in the College Football Playoff,” he added.
The 23-year-old is expected to be selected within the first round of this summer’s NFL Draft, with teams like the Seattle Seahawks, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Miami Dolphins listed as his possible destinations.
Michael Penix Jr. is determined to prove his doubters wrong
Back in January, some people in the NFL were concerned about Michael Penix Jr.’s durability to the point that he was deemed “undraftable” by some scouts. They were likely alluding to his torn ACL in 2018, dislocated shoulder in 2019, another torn ACL in 2020, and another major shoulder injury in 2021.
“If they are worried about my injury history, I can’t control it at this point,” said Penix during the NFL Scouting Combine last week. “That was another reason I came back [to Washington] for the 2023 season, was to have another fully healthy season, just show I’m ready to compete and ready to do it at the next level. At this point, I can’t control the questions about the injuries.”
In 2023, Michael Penix Jr. led the Washington Huskies to the CFP national title game, where they lost to the Michigan Wolverines. He was a runner-up for the Heisman Trophy after recording 4,903 passing yards, 36 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions for a 65.4 completion percentage in 15 games.
