The 2024 NFL Draft is almost here, and that means several names will be rising and falling on boards for every organization.
One of the more interesting debates around draft circles centers around Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The left-handed thrower finished second in the Heisman Trophy race this season but has left some questioning his draft stock due to a series of injuries — two ACL injuries and a shoulder problem — he suffered in college.
After a strong pro day performance, has Penix’s draft stock increased enough to place him in the first round?
Michael Penix Jr. Gaining First-Round Buzz After Sensational Pro Day Performance
Many in NFL Draft circles have believed that Penix would be the fourth or fifth quarterback taken in the 2024 class, depending on where they seat Oregon’s Bo Nix and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy. Penix has seemingly been thought of as a second- or third-round talent.
The latter may not be the case anymore, according to a former NFL executive.
On ESPN’s Get Up, former New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum stated that Penix going in the first round in April was a “mortal lock.”
“There’s no way he doesn’t go in the first round. He’s way too talented. When you look at what he did in the last two years alone … he had a massive day yesterday; he’s going in the first round.”
Tannenbaum isn’t the only one who believes in Penix’s draft stock surging, however.
On X (formerly Twitter), Bleacher Report’s NFL Insider Jordan Schultz shared a text from an NFL coach following Penix’s pro day performance.
“Freak show! Dude runs 4.5 and then jumps 37 inches,” Schultz posted. “Arm strength is crazy in person. Locked in 1st rounder.”
Penix’s Draft Projection
In our NFL Draft quarterback rankings, Ian Cummings has Penix listed as the fifth-best QB of the class — firmly ahead of Nix, but behind McCarthy. The real question will be how high a team is willing to take the 23-year-old prospect, who will be 24 when the season rolls around.
While it is no guarantee Penix will hear his name called in the first round, how the draft board falls early could be the final determination. If top receivers or cornerbacks fall, contending teams that pick late in the 20s may be more inclined to make a win-now selection, instead of trading back for more bites of the apple.
MORE: Ranking Supporting Casts of Teams That Could Draft a First-Round QB
If the opposite happens, a quarterback-needy team could trade back into the first round and secure the lefty.
All that being said, the Huskies quarterback won’t wait too long to hear his name called — even if it’s early on Day 2.
All the 2024 NFL Draft resources you need — the draft order, the top QBs, the Top 100 prospects, and the full 2024 Big Board — right at your fingertips at Pro Football Network!
