Caleb Williams is naturally the centerpiece and focal point of the 2024 NFL draft, but one shouldn’t forget about Michael Penix, Washington’s talented quarterback. Penix led Washington to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Washington won 14 games in a row before losing to Michigan in the title game. Penix and UW beat Texas in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Sugar Bowl. Penix did have a lot more help — and better teammates — than Caleb Williams had in 2023, but it remains that Penix won a conference championship and a playoff semifinal game. Caleb did not.
Just how much did Penix gain from his on-field successes in 2023? Is Penix merely a great college quarterback who will not thrive in the NFL, or does his skill set translate to the pro game and give him a chance to become an established NFL signal-caller? There’s a lot of debate about Penix. Keep in mind that quarterbacks not taken in the first round can still become great NFL players. Tom Brady is the ultimate example of this, but Jalen Hurts — not even a top-50 pick — became a Super Bowl starting quarterback and a runner-up in the NFL MVP race. People will debate how high Penix’s ceiling is. Bruce Feldman discussed Penix, Caleb, and more with Rich Eisen of NFL Network:
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