From now till the 2024 NFL Draft, we are going to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as doable, inspecting their strengths, weaknesses, and what they will convey to an NFL franchise. These gamers may very well be potential top-10 picks, all the best way right down to Day 3 choices, and precedence undrafted free brokers. In the present day, a scouting report on Washington QB Michael Penix.
#9 Michael Penix Jr./QB Washington – 6022, 216 kilos (Senior)
MEASUREMENTS
Participant
Ht/Wt
Hand Dimension
Arm Size
Wingspan
Michael Penix
6022/216
10 1/2″
33 5/8″
81″
40-Yard Sprint
10-Yard Sprint
Quick Shuttle
3-Cone
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Broad Leap
Vertical
Bench Press
N/A
N/A
N/A
The Good
– Flashes some mobility to increase performs, which is seen from his pocket presence– Two monster years production-wise in Washington, the place he completed prime 8 in Heisman voting each instances– Supreme body for a beginning quarterback– Exhibits the maturity to undergo reads and decide aside protection– Good combination of taking part in sensible with check-downs and giving his guys an opportunity with one-on-one conditions– Actually nice arm energy to hit the deep throws at a excessive degree– Will get the ball out of his palms rapidly with a handful of fine mechanics like a quick wrist flick
The Dangerous
– Not a really perfect age for a franchise quarterback turning 24 shortly after the draft in comparison with a youthful man they will develop extra– Regarding medical historical past with 4 straight season-ending accidents– Noticeably not on the identical accuracy degree as Maye or Williams, which will be seen from lacking a handful of open targets– Left-handed quarterback that would trigger groups to not need to adapt their offensive schemes to accommodate for that– Wants to point out he can persistently hit tight window throws so that he’s not bailed out by his receivers– Most of his errors are inexcusable decision-making by throwing into closed home windows with a handful of defenders blanketing the receiver
Bio
– 23 years outdated (Could eighth, 2000)– Performed in 20 video games from 2018-2021 for Indiana and 28 video games for Washington from 2022-2023– 14,006 complete yards, 109 complete touchdowns, 34 interceptions, 146.6 quarterback score, and a 63.3% completion proportion in his faculty profession– 4,911 complete yards, 39 complete touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 157.1 quarterback score, and a 65.4% completion proportion in 2023– Torn ACL in 2018, Sternoclavicular joint harm in 2019, Torn ACL in 2020, AC joint harm in 2021– Three-star QB in his 2018 highschool class from Tampa, FL– Says he determined to switch to Washington from Indiana as a result of he needed to “end his faculty profession the easiest way doable” and stated he wanted to try this some other place– Performed baseball and ran monitor in highschool– Threw 61 touchdowns to solely six interceptions in two seasons of highschool– Born in Tennessee however moved to Florida, the place he was raised
Tape Breakdown
Beginning with the dangerous, plenty of the errors Penix makes are inexcusable dangerous decision-type throws. I perceive the thought course of right here of attempting to suit it between the nook and security inside for the receiver, however it’s an total dangerous determination. Penix hasn’t persistently proven to suit balls into small home windows with out the receiver bailing him out, and right here you’ll be able to see it was nearly easy for the protection to interrupt on this ball. Interceptions like this aren’t as unusual as they need to be, contemplating he did practically the identical precise factor later within the quarter.
pic.twitter.com/Ht7q9JTjnd
— Steven (@Elspedd2) March 17, 2024
Much like the final play, right here is one other dangerous determination mistake by Penix. To be honest to Penix, the defenders did appear to be confused on their assignments so he needed to reap the benefits of that. Nevertheless, he didn’t account for one of many defenders (#21) to right his course and take Penix’s receiver away. This triggered one other interception and was as soon as once more a fairly careless determination. Throws like these appear as if Penix undermines the competitors he’s taking part in in opposition to and overvalues his arm expertise.
pic.twitter.com/umSot35bfm
— Steven (@Elspedd2) March 17, 2024
Going to the nice aspect of Penix, I needed to start out together with his mobility. Movie like this, the place he can spin away from a collapsing pocket and outrun defenders to increase the play, improves his inventory a lot. He finally ends up throwing a dime to his receiver with three defenders within the space on the run whereas it’s third and 18. All the things about this play is overly spectacular and reveals how excessive his ceiling will be.
pic.twitter.com/6WWkqnuaaj
— Steven (@Elspedd2) March 17, 2024
From an accuracy perspective, Penix ranks because the third most correct within the class for me. This type of play is his bread and butter. His receiver has a slight step on the DB; he floats it over the defender’s head proper into the breadbasket for his receiver to haul within the simple landing. Penix has plenty of highlight-worthy performs that embrace the receiver making insane catches or having a ton of separation, however he additionally has performs like these persistently, the place the receiver solely has one step, but Penix suits it completely in there on the sideline.
pic.twitter.com/yRsnoQCY1C
— Steven (@Elspedd2) March 17, 2024
Right here, Washington runs the identical type of play in opposition to Oregon with a unique look, and the consequence finally ends up the identical. This reveals Penix’s consistency and talent to make this sort of throw at a excessive degree. Groups will worth the power Penix has to execute the issues he excels at over and over.
pic.twitter.com/8b2gxe0qIe
— Steven (@Elspedd2) March 17, 2024
Conclusion
The principle downfall to Michael Penix’s inventory goes to be the harm concern paired together with his age. Gamers like JJ McCarthy, who’re a number of years youthful with a fraction of the harm considerations, are going to be favored for these causes regardless of not being as polished. Nevertheless, as an total quarterback, Penix does much more good than dangerous. Earlier than opting out of the Senior Bowl sport, I might say he was the one quarterback that didn’t harm their inventory within the week-long practices.
Penix has nice arm energy and will get the ball out with some unconventional mechanics, however none which can be really unfavorable. He has an excellent body that groups search for of their starter and reveals he’s cellular sufficient to maneuver the pocket to purchase extra time. He has a handful of performs on tape that present dangerous accuracy in addition to his very proficient receiving core bailing him out, however I actually don’t suppose it occurs typically sufficient to be involved and ignore the good things he does.
As for being a lefty, I’d prefer to say that gained’t harm his inventory with Tua Tagovailoa taking part in lights out this yr, but I actually do suppose groups don’t need to adapt their schemes to accommodate it. Penix has a flooring of being a serviceable backup for a number of years whereas having the ceiling of a Professional Bowler, which goes to be nice worth if he slips to the second spherical.
Projection: Late Day One-Early Day TwoDepot Draft Grade: 8.5 – Future High quality Starter (Second Spherical)Video games Watched: Cal (2023), USC (2023), Senior Bowl (2023), UCLA (2022)
