The NFL Draft is behind us, rookie drafts are taking place, and as dynasty managers, we are looking ahead to the upcoming season. In our Dynasty Rookie Post-Draft Update series, we break down all the incoming fantasy-relevant rookies, looking at their profiles and where they fit. The basis of the rookie profile involves the usage of STORM analysis, focusing on five key components: Situation, Talent, Opportunity, Risk, and Market.
Situation
Name: Michael Penix
Position: Quarterback
Pro Team: Atlanta Falcons
College Team: Washington
Draft Status: Round one, pick eight
Michael Penix Jr. is an older prospect with a laundry list of injury issues. He played six years of college football, and four of them wrapped up with season-ending injuries (two ACL injuries, both on his right leg, one right shoulder, and one AC joint). At Washington, he turned his story around, leading the Huskies to the National Championship Game in the 2023 season. It was an impressive showing, so impressive the Atlanta Falcons decided to use their eighth overall pick to take Penix, even though they just signed veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins for four years and $180 million. Shocking is an understatement.
Penix grew up in Tampa and attended Tampa Bay Technical High School for the final two years of his high school career. In his two seasons, he threw for 61 touchdowns to only six interceptions. He was the 2017 County Player of the Year his senior year, going 11-2. He passed for 2,165 yards, 30 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, and he ran for 449 yards and 10 touchdowns.
A three-star recruit out of high school, he was considered the number 21 pro-style quarterback in the 2018 class. He committed to Tennessee after his junior season. When a new coaching staff took over in Knoxville, they decided to rescind his scholarship offer. Scrambling, Penix decided to go to Indiana to kick off his college career.
Penix struggled to stay healthy in four seasons at Indiana, but he had success, especially in 2020. He was named second team All-Big Ten, throwing for 1,645 yards and 14 touchdowns in just six games. After he missed the final seven games of the 2021 season with a left AC joint injury, he graduated from Indiana and transferred to Washington, He was second-team All-Pac 12 in 2022 and the national Comeback Player of the Year, throwing for 4,641 yards and 31 touchdowns. He decided to take an extra year of eligibility and returned to Washington for a sixth college season. That turned out to be a great decision, as he led Washington to the College Football Playoffs and lost the Championship game to Michigan. He finally declared for the NFL Draft and will play his rookie NFL season at 24 years old.
