The incoming quarterback class has been one of the 2024 NFL Draft's biggest and most intriguing storylines. Mostly, every analyst has concluded USC's Caleb Williams, LSU's Jayden Daniels, UNC's Drake Maye, and Michigan's J.J. McCarthy will all be selected among the top five picks. Speculation about the other top-10 quarterbacks runs deeper.
One is Washington's Michael Penix Jr., a projected second-round pick as recently as a week ago, who's now being pegged as a first-round pick in mock drafts. Even we predicted he would go in the first round.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Penix Jr. is a quarterback most teams will consider if they are not bent on trading up to get someone like McCarthy. So, who could take Penix Jr.? The Raiders are a big option.
From @SportsCenter
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) April 20, 2024
*Making sense of Jayden Daniels smoke around No. 2
*Patriots’ outlook at 3
*Penix stock
*Dak prepared for anything, contract talks slow pic.twitter.com/dRJ6iRcf2Z
"If you don't want to trade up for say a J.J. McCarthy, you got Michael Penix there," Fowler said on ESPN's SportsCenter. "The Raiders, he's been linked to them."
The Raiders do need a quarterback, but they do not possess the draft capital to trade up like the Minnesota Vikings do. Las Vegas might stay put at No. 13 overall and take Penix Jr. there. However, there is a potential roadblock in their way: the Denver Broncos are picking at No. 12 and could spoil the Raiders' plans.
We mocked the top 10 quarterback landing spots and predicted that Penix Jr. would land with the Broncos instead of the Raiders. The Broncos are in dire need of a quarterback too, and if all the trades for quarterback-hungry teams draft as predicted, head coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton would be smart to take Penix Jr. at No. 12.
There is also Oregon's Bo Nix to also consider, but he could go far higher to someone like the New York Giants at No. 6. Still, there is a chance he falls, and it could be that Nix and Penix Jr. both fall to the Broncos and Raiders, respectively.
Penix Jr. threw for 4,903 yards, 36 TDs, and 11 INTs in the 2023 season. He has the right combination of stats and talent that should make him a first-round pick. Even Fowler indicated teams should not expect him to be going high in the second round, but that he would be picked up in the first round at some point.
The Raiders might even have to trade up a bit to ensure they take Penix Jr. if they believe he can be their franchise quarterback of the future.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Located in Los Angeles County, James Brizuela has been immersed in Southern California sports for over 30 years. He holds ... Read more
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