Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was hyped up as a potential top-10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft after a dominant performance over the Texas Longhorns in the CFP Semifinal. Months later, Penix Jr. could be taken much later than that.
While the Heisman Trophy finalist is coming off two outstanding seasons, NFL teams have plenty of concerns about him. He’ll already be 24 years old in May and with a series of season-ending injuries throughout his career, there are concerns regarding the left-handed quarterback’s durability.
Related: Michael Penix Jr. may dramatically plummet in 2024 NFL Draft
Penix also struggled mightily against the Michigan Wolverines in the national championship game, making some bad decisions and poor throws against the closest thing to an NFL-caliber defense in college football. As teams now begin evaluating the 2024 NFL Draft’s quarterback class, one new name could catapult ahead of the Huskies’ legend.
In his 2024 Senior Bowl preview, The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman wrote that he wouldn’t be surprised if Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt is selected ahead of Penix Jr. in the 2024 NFL Draft.
- Michael Pratt stats 2023: 2,406 passing yards, 22-5 TD-INT, 158.9 QB rating, 8.5yards per attempt, 65.4% completion rate, 229 rushing yards, 8 rushing touchdowns
“The AAC Offensive Player of the Year is clean in his setup and delivers a quick, accurate stroke to layer the football between levels of the defense. He doesn’t have the high-level physical traits to carry an NFL offense, but he also doesn’t play with panic and knows where to go with the football. I don’t see a significant gap between what Pratt and Kenny Pickett offer you in the NFL.”
The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman on Tulane quarteback Michael Pratt
The mention of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett is particularly interesting. While Pickett hasn’t worked out for Pittsburgh to this point in his career, he’s the perfect example of how it takes just one team to be high on a specific quarterback. While other NFL teams didn’t view Pickett as a first-round talent, the Steelers did and some clubs will grade Pratt higher than Penix Jr.
- Michael Penix Jr stats 2023: 4,648 passing yards, 35-9 TD-INT, 85.7 ESPN QBR, 66.7% completion
Related: Spencer Rattler could go surprisingly high in 2024 NFL Draft
As a four-year starter at Tulane, Pratt raised his completion rate every season in his career and posted a 158-plus QB rating in each of his final two seasons, ending with 90 passing touchdowns and 28 rushing touchdowns in four seasons.
For NFL teams like the Las Vegas Raiders and Atlanta Falcons, Pratt could be an intriguing Day 2 option who could come in and challenge for the starting job as a rookie. While he might not offer a high ceiling, Pratt’s floor, durability and tools are clearly appealing to teams.
