Getty Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.
This isn’t a bad year for teams that need a new quarterback, which includes the Las Vegas Raiders. There are several very interesting prospects that have either declared for the 2024 NFL Draft or are likely to.
One quarterback who certainly helped his draft hopes during college football bowl season was Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. He led the Huskies to a 37-31 win over Texas in the Rose Bowl and threw for 430 yards and two touchdowns.
Former Raiders All-Pro offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele was watching the game and stated that he wanted to see Penix play for Las Vegas going forward in a January 1 X post.
Yeah idk how long he would be available in the first round but Penix Jr. on the Raiders v Mahomes multiple times a season would be a MOVIE
The Raiders would likely be appealing to Penix due to the fact that he’d be able to throw to star wide receiver Davante Adams. Osemele believes Adams “would be happy” to catch passes from the young quarterback.
@theraiderfan16 Davante would be happy lol
The Raiders should be in the mix to draft a quarterback early in 2024. Aidan O’Connell hasn’t played well enough this season to secure a starting position next season. Regardless of who the Raiders head coach is next season, finding a franchise quarterback will be the priority for the team going forward.
Where Will Michael Penix Jr. Be Drafted?
It’s difficult to get a gauge on Michael Penix Jr.’s draft status. His stats are excellent as he’s thrown for over 4,600 yards and 30 touchdowns in back-to-back seasons. He also plays winning football is led Washington to their first National Championship appearance since 1991.
However, there are concerns with him. He’s already 23 and will be 24 when the 2024 NFL season starts. He also suffered two torn ACL injuries in his college career. Penix clearly has great arm talent and is very accurate. He also has good size at 6-foot-3, 213 pounds.
If he had no injury history and was 21, he’d likely be in the conversation to be a top-five pick. With everything in mind, he’s likely to fall out of the top 10. He could be a very good NFL quarterback but there are some major risks with drafting him. There will be a team to take a chance on him early and it’s easy to see him wowing with some throws early in his career. The real test will be if he can stay healthy consistently at the NFL level.
Is Michael Penix Jr. Right for Las Vegas Raiders?
Which quarterback is the right fit for the Raiders will largely depend on who the head coach or offensive coordinator will be next season. According to Tankathon, Las Vegas currently holds the 11th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. That likely puts them in the range to select Michael Penix Jr.
At the end of the day, the Raiders simply need a good quarterback. Picking outside of the top 10 will make it difficult to get one of the top guys like USC’s Caleb Williams and UNC’s Drake Maye. Out of the second-tier quarterbacks, LSU’s Jayden Daniels is the best fit if interim head coach Antonio Pierce keeps the job next season. Pierce worked with Daniels when they were both at Arizona State.
If the Raiders go with a more old-school coach like Jim Harbaugh or Bill Belichick, Penix could be a better fit.