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Former Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will be a popular name in the 2024 NFL Draft. After spending his first four college seasons at Indiana (2018-2021), Penix revived his career by transferring to Washington and putting up big numbers.
The gun-slinging lefty finished eighth in Heisman Voting in 2022 and then as the runner-up to Jayden Daniels last season. That has boosted Penix up draft boards. He will surely be a hot name for any team that needs a quarterback in the early rounds.
So, will Penix be a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft? Which teams could draft him? Let's dive in and find out.
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Michael Penix Jr. College Career Review
Penix first started his college career at Indiana in 2018 as a three-star prospect. However, injuries didn't really allow him to reach his full potential with the Hoosiers.
The lefty would redshirt his freshman year after tearing his ACL against Penn State. Then, Penix suffered another season-ending injury (dislocating the SC joint in his non-throwing shoulder) the following year in 2019. He threw for just 1,394 yards and 10 touchdowns in his freshman season. In 2020, the quarterback re-tore his ACL in the same right knee, which caused him to only play in six games. His injuries, though, didn't stop there, as he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in 2021.
Michael Penix Jr is lethal from the pocket🎯 pic.twitter.com/3hRJTWJm4w
— PFF College (@PFF_College) February 21, 2024
Nevertheless, a change of scenario helped Penix when he transferred to Washington before the 2022 season. In his first year there, he threw for 4,641 yards, 31 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. The 23-year-old quarterback then threw for 4,903 yards, 36 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in his final college season in 2023.
Will Michael Penix Jr. be a First-Round Pick?
Penix's injury history and age are a major concern heading into the upcoming draft, but that doesn't appear to drop his value a ton. The lefty is expected to go somewhere in the first or second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. According to the NFL Mock Draft Database, his most frequent landing spot is with the Atlanta Falcons at pick 43 (second-round).
However, over 45% of mock drafts have Penix as a first-round pick in April. Teams like the Las Vegas Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Seattle Seahawks are all the likeliest first-round landing spots for the Washington quarterback.
CBS Sports has the Steelers selecting QB Michael Penix Jr in the First Round of the 2024 NFL Draft. #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/LAPLbMTC7u
— Blitzburgh (@Blitz_Burgh) February 17, 2024
Penix will turn 24 before the 2024 season begins, so he's certainly a risky option for any team looking to sit him for a few years. That's why teams like the Raiders, Steelers, and Falcons all make sense. He would likely battle for the starting quarterback job in camp with the chance to start immediately.
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