The Falcons are looking forward to an exciting season from second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Atlanta selected him in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Penix has received mixed evaluations heading into the new season. While many are optimistic about his potential, others remain skeptical. Bleacher Report’s Damian Parson, for instance, isn’t as confident as most.
“Penix needs to be more consistent from the pocket and improve his accuracy, ball placement, and completion percentage,” Parson wrote. “If these boxes are checked, the Falcons will compete with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the NFC South division crown.”
A big part of Atlanta’s national appeal this year stems from Penix’s growing star power. The Falcons are slated for several prime-time games, and he’s a major reason why.
“It’s a bit surprising that the Falcons have five prime-time games this season,” CBS Sports’ Jordan Dajani wrote. “I believe that’s because of the excitement surrounding Michael Penix Jr.”
Even former Falcons quarterback Michael Vick sees big things ahead for Penix in his sophomore campaign.
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“I think this is gonna be an amazing season for him,” Vick said. “Just watching practices, it look like everything has slowed down.”
Even during his college days, Penix was a standout. CBS Sports’ Cody Nagel believes he may be the most impactful transfer player of the portal era.
“This might be an unpopular opinion, but Penix deserves more recognition among elite transfer quarterbacks, which is why he is No. 1 on this list. After reuniting with Kalen DeBoer, his former coordinator at Indiana, Penix led Washington to a national championship game appearance at the end of the 2023 season. He topped the nation in passing yards (4,903) and attempts (555), ranked third in touchdowns (36) and finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting. During Penix’s two-year tenure as starter, Washington lost just three games — its fewest in any two-year stretch since the 1991 national championship season,” Nagel wrote.
Penix came just one game short of winning a national title, and he will go down as one of the greatest players in Washington football history—and one of the most impactful transfers in college football as well.
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