Every time Michael Penix Jr. rips a pass downfield with pulse-quickening pace and astounding accuracy—which is often—a thought bubble rides along with the football: Shouldn’t the NFL love him a little more than it seemingly does?
The Washington Huskies’ quarterback is widely considered the No. 3 or 4 pro prospect at his position—solidly behind the USC Trojans’ Caleb Williams and North Carolina Tar Heels’ Drake Maye, and in competition with the LSU Tigers’ Jayden Daniels to be next off the board. Mock drafts have him slotted anywhere from the top 10 to late second round, with some even predicting that the Oregon Ducks’ Bo Nix or Michigan Wolverines’ J.J. McCarthy will get picked ahead of Penix.
NFL scouts don’t dislike him by any stretch, noting his overall improvement and the performances he’s put together over the past two seasons. “It’s pretty amazing to see the evolution of someone’s game from first playing time to now, because the guy has gotten better and better,” one scout says. “It’s cool. It speaks to his ability to embrace coaching and learn and work on weakness.”
