The Las Vegas Raiders are among the five times (including the Pittsburgh Steelers?) that are expected to meet with talented Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. before the 2024 NFL Draft.
On Thursday, highly touted NFL Draft prospect Michael Penix Jr. took part in Washington’s pro day to showcase his skills in a controlled environment and boost his stock heading in next month’s event. The Huskies star is an interesting prospect because he could be the top option for many teams that don’t have picks in the top five.
- Michael Penix 40 time: 4.46 to 4.5 at Washington Huskies pro day
Most NFL Draft pundits believe Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, and JJ McCarthy will be the first four signal-callers taken in April. And there is a belief among some they could all be off the board in the top five to six picks. This leaves teams in need of a QB after that portion of the draft looking hard at Michael Penix Jr.
Following his showcase on Friday ESPN reported that the QB prospect is set to meet with five teams ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft and they include organizations that made big moves for quarterbacks in the offseason. Those clubs are the New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons, and Denver Broncos.
Are the Las Vegas Raiders or Pittsburgh Steelers realistic options for Michael Penix Jr.?
With this being a strong class for quarterbacks and a lot of hype around the top four in this year’s class, Penix Jr. is sure to be a fallback option for many teams later in the first round or early in the second. While the Las Vegas Raiders added Gardner Minshew in free agency, it seems like the organization very much hopes to find a potential franchise QB in this year’s NFL Draft.
Penix Jr. will be on the board when they are on the clock at 13, but the big question is if the organization will see him as a big reach at that point in the draft. Likewise for the New York Giants at six, the Atlanta Falcons at eight, and the Denver Broncos at 12.
- Michael Penix Jr. stats (2023): 4,903 passing yards, 36 TD, 11 INT, 157.1 passer rating
Related: Davante Adams makes his Las Vegas Raiders QB preference known on social media
The Pittsburgh Steelers are on the clock at 20 and that may be a more realistic spot to select Penix Jr. However, the move would be shocking considering the organization made a blockbuster trade for Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields a couple of weeks ago, and signed future Hall-of-Famer Russell Wilson.
Based on recent projections, these teams may end up battling to get the Washington signal-caller early in Round 2 of the event instead of using their top picks.