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QBs and WRs dominate the latest mock draft from The Huddle.
HC Green’s first mock draft of 2024 is now out. Sound off on social media and let us know what you think.
We’ll be unveiling several more mock drafts leading up to the real thing, so be sure to check back with our 2024 NFL Draft Central page to keep track of all of our offerings.
*projected trade
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This makes a lot of sense.
We’ve seen NFL mock drafts with Michael Penix Jr. either as a first-rounder or somewhere in the second round.
There’s a middle ground of sorts — he could be a low first-rounder or a high second-rounder given all of his upside. In our latest NFL mock draft from Christian D’Andrea, he’s got Penix to the New York Giants at pick No. 27 in the second round. But in a 7-round mock from The Athletic, Dane Brugler has Penix going to the Las Vegas Raiders with a trade up to pick No. 30 in the first.
Here’s his take on why that makes sense.
According to The Athletic’s Vic Tafur, “the whispers are getting louder” that the Raiders might draft Penix at No. 13. But this scenario feels like the better option, even if it means parting with a pair of Day 2 draft picks. A polarizing player among NFL front offices, Penix is an aggressive downfield passer with the mental toughness that will certainly stand out for Pierce and his staff.
There you have it! Make sure to check out our latest two-round mock draft from Christian D’Andrea, along with the current NFL draft order for Round 1.
Check out the newest mock draft from The Huddle!
Harley Schultz’s first mock draft of 2024 is now out. Sound off on social media and let us know what you think.
We’ll be unveiling several more mock drafts leading up to the real thing, so be sure to check back with our 2024 NFL Draft Central page to keep track of all of our offerings.
*projected trade
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This could be an important visit in a possible trade down scenario for the Patriots
The New England Patriots will be squeezing in another top-30 visit with a quarterback draft prospect on Tuesday.
After meeting with Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels and J.J. McCarthy, the Patriots will reportedly be meeting with University of Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Penix is expected to have dinner with Patriots personnel and coaches in Foxborough on Monday night and then meet back up for a top-30 visit the following day.
Penix isn’t projected as a top-four quarterback in the draft, which means he’d likely be under consideration by the Patriots in a possible trade down scenario. There’s also the possibility that the Patriots draft Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. or Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt instead of a quarterback.
#Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. is set to have dinner with #Patriots brass and coaches tonight in Foxboro, and he has a Top 30 visit tomorrow, sources say. New England continued to do all the QB homework…
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 15, 2024
The Patriots are clearly doing their due diligence in preparation for all scenarios on draft night. Although they appear to be pretty set in stone on drafting a quarterback, a team could blow them away with a trade offer and get them to move down from No. 3.
If anything, this visit reinforces the fact that everything is on the table for the Patriots.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates ended up with a pretty solid three-round haul for the Panthers.
The Carolina Panthers have themselves a little golden nugget with the 33rd overall selection of the 2024 NFL draft. So, how will they cash it in?
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates just took turns churning out picks for a fresh three-round mock. And as far as Pick No. 33 goes, the former sells it off to the Los Angeles Rams for the 52nd pick, 83rd pick and a 2025 third-rounder.
After the Rams use that swap to take Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., the Panthers get their first shot with the 39th overall pick. Kiper goes with Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey:
I thought about cornerback and edge rusher, but this might be a great spot to add a talented wideout to one of the worst receiving corps in the league. McConkey just knows how to get open.
Next up is No. 52, where Yates takes Michigan cornerback Mike Sanristil:
Sainristil would be an excellent nickel for Carolina. He has a penchant for forcing turnovers — he had six picks in 2023 — and is standout tackler.
Kiper is then behind the wheel for No. 65, where Alabama pass rusher Chris Braswell comes off:
Braswell is another instant contributor for the Panthers in this draft. He is an underrated pass-rusher after registering eight sacks last season. Carolina’s pass rush struggled big-time in 2023.
And to wrap it up, Kansas State tight end/fullback Ben Sinnott is Kiper’s choice at No. 83:
Sinnott is my top-ranked H-back, but he can be used mostly as a tight end, especially in a thin class. His 676 receiving yards last season ranked fourth among FBS tight ends. He measured 6-foot-4 and weighed 250 pounds at the combine, and he could quickly rise to the top of the Panthers’ depth chart.
The four-player haul includes three prospects at premium positions in wideout, corner and pass rusher. Sprinkling in Sinnott, who visited the team last week, is also a solid investment given the Panthers’ lack of production from the tight end spot.
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Here’s our latest mock draft release as the real deal draws near.
Cletis Cutts’ first mock draft of 2024 is now out. Sound off on social media and let us know what you think.
We’ll be unveiling several more mock drafts leading up to the real thing, so be sure to check back with our 2024 NFL Draft Central page to keep track of all of our offerings.
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ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has the Rams trading up for a QB in his latest mock draft, but not in the 1st round
It’s very possible the Los Angeles Rams will draft a quarterback with one of their 11 picks this year, potentially even on Day 1 or 2. Matthew Stafford is getting older and his backup, Jimmy Garoppolo, is also a veteran on only a one-year deal. Stetson Bennett’s uncertain future throws a wrench into things, too, because the Rams don’t know if he can be the successor at quarterback.
Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN just released his latest mock draft with the big event only two weeks out and he has the Rams trading up for a quarterback. That doesn’t happen from Pick 19, though. He projects them to move up for Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. in the second round, going from No. 52 to 37 in order to land the lefty quarterback.
Kiper’s projected deal involves the Rams sending Nos. 52, 83 and 96 to the Chargers for No. 37. Here’s what Kiper wrote about the Rams’ potential selection of Penix at No. 37 overall.
Yes, the Rams have Matthew Stafford. Yes, they brought in Jimmy Garoppolo. And yes, they drafted Stetson Bennett in Round 4 last year. But Stafford is 36 and has dealt with serious injuries in recent years, while Garoppolo is on a one-year deal and Bennett spent his rookie season on the reserve/non-football illness list. There’s a lot of uncertainty in L.A. past 2024.
Penix could be the future franchise signal-caller for coach Sean McVay and the Rams. He is accurate to every level of the field and is a great decision-maker. He had 67 touchdown passes and 19 interceptions in his two seasons at Washington. I have a Round 2 grade on him, just behind Bo Nix in my rankings.
Penix could be one of six quarterbacks drafted in the first round, but in Kiper’s mock, only four of them go in Round 1. Nix and Penix both slip into the second round after Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy all go in the top five.
The Rams do need a successor behind Stafford and Penix would be afforded the chance to sit and learn for at least a year or two, which would benefit him greatly. There are some injury concerns after he suffered two torn ACLs and two shoulder injuries during his time at Indiana from 2018-2021, but he looks to be past those ailments.
Earlier in Kiper’s mock, the Rams select Laiatu Latu at No. 19 overall in the first round, adding a dynamic pass rusher to a defense that lost Aaron Donald to retirement. Latu is a promising prospect with an excellent pass-rush repertoire, and pairing him with Byron Young would give the Rams a young tandem of outside linebackers to build around for the next few years.
Latu is the best pure edge rusher in this class, and he already has an array of pass-rush moves. He ranked first in the FBS in total pressures (55) and had 13 sacks in 2023. I haven’t heard any recent red flags around his medical reports, as there were some questions last fall because he medically retired from football because of a neck injury he suffered when he was at Washington in 2021.
Some fans may not be on board with the Rams taking a quarterback early in the draft, but with Bennett’s future unclear and Stafford getting older, they need to address the position sooner or later and spending a second-rounder on a talented passer isn’t the worst idea – even if it comes after trading up.
According to a recent survey from The Athletic, Minnesota Vikings fans overwhelmingly prefer a trade up for a quarterback in the NFL draft.
The 2024 NFL Draft is just two weeks away, and the big question looming for Minnesota Vikings fans is: How is the team going to address the quarterback situation? The team signed former Jets, 49ers, and Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold in the offseason, but he’s not the long-term solution at the position. So, what is the best way for the team to find that solution?
According to a survey of Vikings fans from The Athletic, nearly 75 percent want to see the Vikings trade up in the draft to take their quarterback of the future. Whether it’s for Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, or J.J. McCarthy, the fanbase overwhelmingly approves of the team making a bold move to secure the most important position in football—if not all sports.
The article, written by Alec Lewis, further breaks down the quarterback choices, with nearly 40 percent of the over 3800 respondents preferring a trade-up (sending picks 11, 23, and 2025 first) for former North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye.
The fanbase’s second choice is former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, with just over 23% of respondents saying they would trade picks 11 and 23 and a later-round pick to land McCarthy. Interestingly, that option is less than 3% more than those who would prefer the team to keep their assets, stay at 11 (or later at pick 23), and take former Washington quarterback Michael Penix, Jr.
Perhaps the most interesting tidbit from the survey is just how many—or how few, rather—of the respondents wish the team had paid to keep Kirk Cousins in Minnesota for at least one more season. Not even 2% of the respondents said that the team should have paid for Cousins.
Penix matches his obvious risk with being arguably the best rookie passer
You cannot say that Michael Penix Jr. is a raw recruit. His 13, 741 passing yards rank No. 15 all-time in NCAA football history. That trails No. 6 Bo Nix (15,352) and even the lesser known Sam Hartman (15,656 Notre Dame) and Dillon Gabriel (14,865 Oklahoma) who also played last year in the pass-happy NCAA, where additional years of eligibility thanks to COVID rewrite career records.
Both Penix and Gabriel had rare six-year careers in college. Penix spent four at Indiana where he was the starter for two years but never played in more than seven contests. Penix suffered season-ending injuries every year as a Huskie – two shoulder issues and two torn ACLs. He was productive when playing, but he always missed about half of the games each year.
Penix transferred to Washington for the final two years. He finally remained healthy and led the nation with 4,903 passing yards last season. In 2022, during his first campaign with the Huskies, he passed for 4,641 yards to rank No. 2 in the nation. He claimed he returned in 2023 just to prove that he was truly over his injury problems. That was two straight seasons as no worse than the No. 2 passer in the nation.
Penix excelled in Washington thanks to staying healthy and playing in their pass-intensive scheme. Head coach Kalen DeBoer parlayed his two seasons there into becoming the new head coach at Alabama for 2024. The last two seasons were a magical time for the Huskies offense.
Ironically, had his only time in college been the last two years, Penix would likely have been a candidate for the first quarterback selected this year. Still, he is a first-round grade that is a lock to be a Top-5 quarterback and may end up in the first half of Round 1.
Height: 6-2
Weight: 218 pounds
40 time: 4.46 seconds unofficial
Penix attended the NFL combine where his 6-2 height and 216 pounds are prototypical, and his hands (10 1/2″) and wingspan (81″) were the largest among all quarterbacks there.
Michael Penix Jr. stats (2018-23)
| Year | School | Games | Runs | Yards | TD | Pass | Complete | Yards | Avg. | TD | Int |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Indiana | 3 | 7 | 45 | 0 | 34 | 21 | 219 | 6.4 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | Indiana | 7 | 22 | 119 | 2 | 160 | 110 | 1394 | 8.7 | 10 | 4 |
| 2020 | Indiana | 6 | 18 | 25 | 2 | 220 | 124 | 1645 | 7.5 | 14 | 4 |
| 2021 | Indiana | 5 | 17 | 17 | 2 | 162 | 87 | 939 | 5.8 | 4 | 7 |
| 2022 | Washington | 13 | 35 | 35 | 4 | 554 | 362 | 4641 | 8.4 | 31 | 8 |
| 2023 | Washington | 15 | 35 | 35 | 3 | 555 | 363 | 4903 | 8.8 | 36 | 11 |
Penix enters the NFL draft as a quarterback of extremes. That likely drops his draft stock slightly, but he is still much coveted after throwing for more yardage over the last two years than anyone in the NCAA. As he himself said, he cannot do anything about his extensive history with injuries other than point at the last two seasons of health and elite stats.
He’ll always carry risk after four straight years of landing on injured reserve, so his placement in the NFL depends on which team values his potential more than his risk. Penix isn’t likely to do much as a rusher in the NFL, but he just threw 1,109 passes over the last two years and is a perfect fit in the pass-happy NFL.
Penix is likely outside of the Top-10 picks in April, but the further he falls from that, the more likely a team will move up to grab him. He’s been linked to the Los Angeles Raiders, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings, and Washington Commanders.
Penix doesn’t need the seasoning that most rookie quarterbacks do since he played for six seasons and the last two were as good as any college quarterback. All players are sensitive to the situation they find with their new team, but Penix deserves fantasy consideration, even as a rookie, no matter where he ends up. He’s not offering rushing production. He offers a scary history of injury. But he is also in the argument as the best passer entering the NFL this year.
The Falcons are sending GM Terry Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris to Seattle for a private workout with QB Michael Penix Jr.
The Atlanta Falcons are sending general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris to Seattle for a private workout with Washington quarterback Michael Penix, NFL insider Albert Breer reported on Friday morning.
Penix is one of the most talented QB prospects in this year’s draft class and the Falcons currently hold the No. 8 pick. While it seems unlikely that Atlanta would draft Penix in the first round, there’s a chance it could happen if the team trades down.
The Washington QB has passed for 9,547 yards and 67 touchdowns over the last two seasons. Penix led the team to an undefeated record in 2023 and lost to Michigan in the National Championship.
The Falcons are sending a sizable group to Seattle to conduct a private workout with Washington QB Michael Penix today, per sources. HC Raheem Morris and GM Terry Fontenot are among those in the traveling party, which left this morning.
Atlanta holds the eighth overall pick.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 5, 2024
The Falcons signed quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year deal in free agency. It would make sense to draft Penix as a developmental backup and let him sit behind Cousins for a few years. The 35-year-old is coming off a serious Achilles injury and if he doesn’t perform, Penix could eventually step in.
Most draft analysts have Penix ranked among the top five quarterbacks in the class. The strong-armed QB would be a good fit in Zac Robinson’s system. It just comes down to whether or not the team would use a top pick on Penix without having an immediate need at the position.
