Could the Broncos select Washington Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft?

One prospect whom the Denver Broncos are showing interest in and will have a top-30 pre-draft visit with is former Washington Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. He is a 6-2, 216-pound quarterback who could be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. NFL Network’s lead draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah has him ranked as his 33rd overall player in the 2024 NFL Draft and is his sixth-best quarterback in the entire draft.

The former Indiana transfer played a total of two seasons at Washington and turned into one of the best quarterbacks in the country. During his two years at Washington, Penix Jr. totaled 9,544 yards, 67 passing touchdowns, and 19 interceptions. He added 70 rushing attempts for 100 yards and 7 career rushing touchdowns as well. This past season for the Huskies, he passed for 4,903 yards, 36 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions while adding 3 rushing touchdowns.

Player Profile

Michael Penix Jr | Quarterback | Washington

Height: 6-2

Weight: 216 pounds

40-time: 4.58 seconds

Arm Length: 33 5/8th inches

Hand Size: 10 ¹⁄₂ inches

Vertical Jump: 36.5 inches

Broad Jump: 10’5”

Film Room

Scouting Report

Strengths

• Strong arm with good velocity and can make all throws on the field
• The ball jumps out of his hand with plenty of zip
• Easy arm strength and can throw 50+ with ease
• Can drive the ball well into tight spaces when needed
• Has great pocket awareness and slides around to find open throwing lanes
• Quick release, got rid of the ball quickly and avoided sacks throughout his career
• Accurate passer who
• High-IQ passer who appears to be a good processor
• Reads the field well and goes through his progressions quickly
• Is a fearless gunslinger who isn’t afraid to attack all areas of the field
• Has large hands and shouldn’t have an issue gripping the ball in the elements
• Showed off his athleticism at his pro day

Weaknesses

• Has lengthy medical concerns (two torn ACLs) and durability red flags which teams need to navigate when grading him
• Never missed a game at Washington but it is hard to ignore his injury history and potential durability concerns down the road
• While testing numbers are great he is a pure pocket passer who has struggled outside the pocket and with off-script plays
• While he can navigate the pocket well he does struggle with pressure at times
• Not really a “weakness” but he has a unique and funky throwing motion

Michael Penix Jr. RAS

What other analysts are saying about Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

NFL Network’s lead draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah - Link

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. He can hang on his back foot and effortlessly drive the ball 55 yards. He excels 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’s been through a litany of injuries during his career, but he managed to overcome them and led Washington to the national title game. Overall, durability is a legitimate concern, but I believe in his combination of vision, accuracy and arm strength.

NFL.com’s draft analyst Lance Zierlein - Link

Penix will be a 24-year-old rookie with a history of season-ending injuries at Indiana and impressive production while at Washington. The Huskies’ offensive design helped declutter coverages for Penix, allowing him to throw a higher number of intermediate and deep passes. He plays with smart pocket mobility and a willingness to get rid of the football, which makes it difficult to sack him. His delivery is bundled and his release point is very low, but his monster game against Texas showed flashes of impeccable touch. Penix has plenty of arm but needs to work with more consistent timing between the numbers to eliminate unnecessary contested throws. He’s a pocket passer who was ineffective in 2023 when defenses were able to crank up the heat and make him move his feet. Playing in a shotgun-based spread attack might give him his best chance to succeed, but he needs to prove he can thrive outside of the Washington offense and stay free from injury.

Does Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. make sense for the Denver Broncos?

If the Broncos are good with his medicals and feel good about his long-term durability, then yes, I think he does make sense for them.

His arm talent is amongst the best in the draft, he is known for his high intelligence and many have said he is a good processor and has many traits that Sean Payton looks for in a quarterback. I think he can operate a quick rhythm passing offense and do it at a high level if protected well.

He does have some non-injury concerns like his struggles with off-script plays and how he handles pressure. Sure, he ran a great 40-time, but he doesn’t look comfortable throwing on the move outside the pocket.

Where he goes in the draft is a bit of an x-factor I believe. There haven’t been any reported red flags on his medicals from the combine, but we don’t know if teams will have a medical red flag on him or not. Could he be a first-round pick? I think so, and he could be the next quarterback off the board after the big four of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, and J.J. McCarthy. However, it also would not be a surprise if he slipped into day two and potentially the third round because of these potential medical concerns.

The Broncos have met with Penix a lot throughout the process. He met with them at the Senior Bowl, he was among their formal interviews at the Combine, the Broncos had people at his pro day, and he will be among their top 30 visits. So, they are doing their homework on him and we will soon find out how Sean Payton feels about Penix Jr.