After a sensational performance last night in the Sugar Bowl against Texas, Michael Penix Jr. has seemingly taken a major leap forward in potential among many analysts who cover the NFL.
On Monday night, Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. had the game of a lifetime under the biggest spotlight of his career. His performance in his team’s college football playoff semifinal win over the Texas Longhorns was the cherry on top of what has been a memorable season for the 23-year-old. And it seems it may have improved his NFL possibilities in the eyes of many around the league.
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In the Huskies victory last night, Penix Jr. hit on 29 of his 38 passes for 430 passing yards and two touchdowns. The star QB also ran for 31 yards, posted a ridiculous 76.3% completion percentage, and had an impressive 97.7 quarterback rating in their 37-31 win over No. 3 Texas.
It was another moment in what has been an outstanding season for a player who has bounced back from two torn ACLs during his collegiate career. However, those major knee injuries, along with a serious shoulder issue in 2019 likely affected how he was viewed by NFL Draft evaluators.
Heading into the college football playoffs, Michael Penix Jr. was not held in the same regard as other QB prospects in the 2024 draft class. While players like Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels were seen as players expected to be taken in the first round, on many mock drafts Penix Jr. was not seen as a talent with first-round potential.
Has Michael Penix Jr. guaranteed being drafted in first round of 2024 NFL Draft after Sugar Bowl?
Well, that may have changed on Monday night. During a new edition of ESPN’s morning show “Get Up,” NFL analyst Domonique Foxworth lauded the skills Penix Jr. showed in the Sugar Bowl and compared him to the player expected to win the 2023 NFL Rookie of the Year award.
“I don’t want to get carried away, but it reminds me of CJ Stroud last year,” Foxworth proclaimed. “How we were like, ‘CJ Stroud’s pretty good [last year].’ Then he gets to the playoffs and we’re like, ‘Damn, he’s special.'”
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Fellow NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky chimed in and explained why he is a surefire first-round pick in April’s NFL Draft.
“I don’t know if I’ve seen a college quarterback throw it better,” Orlovsky said. “I mean, there were so many throws that were just perfect. And I think that [CJ Stroud] comparison is a great comparison. … I don’t know if I’ve seen a college quarterback — ball placement-wise — throw better. And he’s a first-rounder.”
Michael Penix Jr. and his Washington team still have one game left in their season and how he performs in the National Championship game against Michigan could go a long way in boosting his first-round chances in the draft or making earlier evaluations seem correct.
