Photo: Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire

Michael Penix Jr., QB Atlanta Falcons

6-2, 216

Overall Grade: 6.4

Scouting Report by Jeremy Percy

Summary

Michael Penix Jr. is an older, more experienced prospect with good leadership ability and an extensive injury history who excels at pushing the ball down the field, but his inconsistent accuracy to the short and intermediate areas will limit him to being a top backup and circumstantial starter.

Penix is a sixth-year, left-handed quarterback prospect who ran a spread-based offense for the majority of his collegiate career. He spent his first four seasons at Indiana where he suffered season-ending injuries all four years, two to his right ACL and one to each of his shoulders. He transferred to Washington prior to the 2022 season and responded by setting the school passing yards record and finished second in Heisman voting in 2023. Penix has great playing experience and played in 48 games, starting 45 of them. He played almost exclusively in shotgun, but has shown he can take snaps from under center, though he did not pass often out of those looks. He is a good leader and stepped up massively in clutch situations his final year in college. He is a tough player overall but has a merely sufficient body composition for an NFL quarterback, especially for someone with his injury history.

Pass Game

Penix has shown great improvement as a passer during his time in college. He is at his best throwing down the field due to his high-level arm talent and consistently hits his mark on deep back-shoulder throws. Despite his improvements, he still shows merely sufficient spot-on accuracy and can be inconsistent with short and intermediate accuracy. His deep accuracy is better. He throws a gorgeous deep ball. He can put the ball on a rope deep down the field to the outside shoulder from the opposite hash or loft it up with plenty of air to let his receiver run underneath it. Overall, Penix is a good decision maker who takes care of the ball and is mature enough to realize when he needs to hit his checkdown or throw the ball away, though he can be prone to chucking it into coverage when needing to make a play while trailing. He has good footwork, and it helps him greatly in the pocket. He shows plus ability to manipulate the pocket and slip away from defenders. He is above average under pressure and is not afraid to stare down the barrel and take a hit when releasing the ball. His release is sufficient overall; it is quick but unorthodox with a lower release point. He has a slight tendency to extend the ball low and behind his body in his motion which could lead to some fumbles at the next level. Penix can throw the ball from a variety of arm angles and bases which will directly translate to the NFL game. He also has good eye discipline and is capable of manipulating defenders while going through his reads before snapping back to his target.

Run Game

Penix was much more explosive as a runner and used in this capacity more early in his career, but that usage waned at Washington due to his injury history. Still, when he was called on as a runner, he was effective, and he has above-average mobility for an NFL quarterback.

Last Word

Penix projects as a top backup or circumstantial starting quarterback at the next level. He can function in most systems but fits best into an offense that utilizes his quick release in the RPO game and also allows him to take shots down the field off play action. Penix has had a ton of time to develop while in college but has spent a good amount of that time rehabbing from injuries, so he may not yet be at his full ceiling. He has above-average mobility and can make throws from awkward arm angles/bases. He also will be able to throw the ball deep at a high level. His short and intermediate accuracy can be spotty and inconsistent, but when he is on, he can make any throw on the field.

Critical Factors

Graded on 1-9 scale

Positional Factors

 Strengths

 Weaknesses