Michael Penix Jr. Is A First-Round Quarterback On Early Draft Boards For Multiple NFL Teams

The buzz about Michael Penix Jr. got muted for a while when the University of Washington quarterback walked off the field after a blowout loss to Michigan in the national championship game. 

The Penix name and all those 2023 accomplishments – 36 touchdown passes, 4,903 passing yards – got somewhat lost amid the draft excitement about Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye.

Then it got really weird when J.J. McCarthy seemingly became a better prospect than Penix Jr. after the scouting combine.

INDIANAPOLIS - Michael Penix Jr. of Washington poses for portraits at the Indiana Convention Center on February 29, 2024. (Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)

Draft ‘Experts’ Don't Believe In Penix Jr.

ESPN experts tied Penix Jr. to the Giants – in the second round. NFL.com had him in the first round of some drafts but not others. Mel Kiper slotted three Washington players and a total of five quarterbacks in the first round, yet none of them named Penix.

But guess what … he's baaaack.

Penix Jr. is solidly a first-round prospect on the initial board of at least three NFL teams that we know of, OutKick has learned by compiling varying information from multiple sources. 

And while those sources are sharing what they've heard as NFL executives share chatter, those boards are not yet finalized. But the sources added it's hard to see how Penix Jr. drops out of the first round.

"It's not like he's laying another egg against Michigan tomorrow," one source quipped. 

Washington Huskies QB Michael Penix Jr. celebrates after a 37-31 victory vs. the Texas Longhorns in the CFP Semifinal Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Penix Jr. Draft Season Going Well

On the contrary, Penix Jr. is busy building good will. His pro day on the Washington campus last week was by any measure a success.

He ran two sub 4.6 times (4.55 on one scout's stopwatch on his second attempt) in the 40-yard dash. His vertical jump was recorded at 36 ½ inches. And while no scout OutKick spoke to wanted to share notes about Penix's scripted throwing session, it was generally described as "a good afternoon's work."

"I just wanted to show that I’m athletic, and I can do it with my legs if I have to," Penix said.

"I want to write my own narrative," he added. "So I’m not chasing for somebody else’s respect. I feel like the real ones know. The ones that really watch and know football, they know what I can do on the football field. I just want to write my own narrative."

Penix Jr. has been busy doing that since his pro day.

Kansas City, Mo. - Las Vegas Raiders interim head coach Antonio Pierce on field against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 25, 2023. Photo: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Raiders Visit With Penix Jr.

He had a private workout with the Vikings that was definitely not scripted. He will have a private workout with the Falcons, who hold the No. 8 overall selection, on Saturday. He had a top 30 visit with the Raiders on Thursday, which followed his top 30 visit with the Denver Broncos on Wednesday.

Those meetings, by the way, are all business. They are job interviews where everything is judged. All players are judged on how they interact, how they answer both praise and criticism. 

But quarterbacks are especially tested on information retention.

"Like to find out how they process, how quickly it comes," Broncos coach Sean Payton said at the NFL meetings last week. "If we send them information at 5 p.m. the prior day, we send them more than we think they're going to have a chance to study.

"We've all been in that position. Now, it may not have been football, but 5 p.m. on a college Thursday, test on Friday, and more than we have enough time to study. How do they handle that?"

Penix Jr. Available To Broncos At No. 12?

It should be noted the Broncos are known to be among the teams that value McCarthy. But they would probably have to trade up from their No. 12 spot to land the Michigan quarterback.

It is possible, on the other hand, Penix Jr. will be available to them at No. 12.

The New York Giants and Steelers are also expected to meet with Penix Jr. The Giants sent a large contingent to Seattle to see the Penix pro day and spent time with him both before and after the event.

The private workouts are also difficult in that a prospect doesn't get a script of throws beforehand. Coaches show up and often tell the quarterback what route to throw just before he has to go do it.

All of this is important but ultimately, it's about the tape – what the quarterback did in games that evaluators can study.

And much of that works for Penix Jr.

Evaluators Weigh Penix Issues

The point should be made that Penix Jr. has some warts. There are reasons he won't be the No. 1 overall selection. Or even a top 3 pick.

He'll be 25 years old in May so that's two-plus years older than most prospects and more than three years older than McCarthy.  

Penix Jr. also suffered significant injuries during his college career. He had ACL tears in both 2018 and 2020. He also had a shoulder injury sideline him in 2019.

But things changed in 2022 and 2023. He played every game both seasons. And he played well.

"He wins from the pocket," one evaluator whose team will not be drafting a quarterback said. "He moves, he avoids, he keeps his head up and eyes downfield. And he's not afraid. 

"There are a lot of coaches in the NFL who will see that and be more than willing to work with that. Because if a quarterback can win from the pocket, he's going to be good in the NFL."