Falcons Receive Polarizing 1st-Round Grades After Michael Penix Selection

The Atlanta Falcons shocked everyone when they took quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick.

Atlanta Falcons 1st Round Selection Michael Penix Jr. / Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Falcons passed on quarterback to draft other skilled-position players in the top 10 the past three years. But even after signing Kirk Cousins to a $180 million contract, the Falcons didn’t do that again.

At No. 8 overall in the 2024 NFL draft, the Falcons shocked the NFL world, selecting Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. 

Shocking picks typically don’t grade well among the experts. But some analysts are high on Penix as a prospect. As a result, the initial-draft grades for Atlanta’s first-round selection were mixed.

Here are five different Penix draft pick grades from top draft analysts:

Rob Rang, Fox Sports: B-plus

Penix entered the 2024 draft as perhaps the most polarizing prospect in the class. So naturally, his selection generated polarizing draft grades.

Rang liked the selection about as much as anyone. Even still, he called the pick “shocking.”

“Of all the scenarios I imagined for Penix prior to the draft, this might be the most shocking given Atlanta's massive deal with Kirk Cousins. That, however, is no slight to Penix, the most gifted pocket passer in this class, boasting an absolute howitzer for a left arm. He is a quality athlete but is at his best when allowed to survey the field, showing the awareness and precision that translate to the NFL.”

Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: B

Prisco also didn’t hate the Falcons selecting Penix although that seemed to be more because he is such a fan of Penix.

"They opted to take their quarterback of the future by taking Penix. He has all the tools, but will learn and wait behind Kirk Cousins. I wonder if he can rush the passer. Like the player, but don't like the pick."

It’s pretty clear Prisco expected the Falcons to select an edge rusher. Atlanta hasn’t done that in the first round since 2017. 

Ironically, that was the last season the Falcons finished in the top half of the league in sacks. It’s also the last time Atlanta made the postseason.

Nick Baumgardner and Scott Dochterman, The Athletic: C

The Athletic analysts took issue with the fact that the Falcons not only reached for a quarterback, but they grabbed Penix when Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy was still on the board.

Similar to Prisco, there were things Baumgardner and Dochterman liked about Penix. But they also have plenty of concerns.

“Penix is a talented passer, to be sure. But there are questions here: his age, his health (he’s had multiple leg injuries), his consistency as an accurate passer and the fact Cousins is making a fortune. Penix doesn’t throw the ball over the middle with nearly the same confidence he shows outside the numbers. He’s going to have to figure out better answers versus pressure.

“But his arm talent is outstanding, and it’s hard to bet against his perseverance. At No. 8, though? This feels a reach. Time will tell.”

The Falcons were one of only two teams in the top 11 that received a grade below A-minus from The Athletic analysts.

Natalie Miller, Draft Wire: D

The analysts awarding the Falcons failing or near failing grades outweighed the graders giving Atlanta B’s. Miller was critical of the Falcons selecting Penix because of his injury history.

She referred to the choice as “a head-scratcher.”

“Penix is an excellent deep-ball thrower who willed the Washington Huskies to success over the past few seasons. One of the most productive quarterbacks in college projects well as a bombs-away quarterback at the next level. This move comes as a shock given where most outlets had Penix rated, but the Falcons decided to stay put and take their guy.

“An older quarterback with medical issues as a developmental pick is a bit of a head-scratcher”

Brent Sobleski, Bleacher Report: F

Sobleski argued that how one grades the Penix pick is dependent on which side of his evaluation one believes. Again, his pre-draft scouting reports were all over the map.

But the analysts at Bleacher Report were highly critical of Penix as a prospect. As expected, Sobleski ripped the Falcons selecting him at No. 8.

“After signing Kirk Cousins to a $180 million contract in free agency, the Atlanta Falcons made sure to acquire another quarterback with a significant injury history. Good job.

“The addition of Cousins seemingly put the Falcons in the driver's seat for the NFC South since they already had all of the other pieces they needed on offense. But with this Penix pick, the Falcons are preparing for the future before they can even claim the present.

“Taking Penix at No. 8 is awful resource allocation. It's also downright atrocious value. The Bleacher Report Scouting Department didn't even have Penix graded as a first-round prospect.

“This is a failure on every single level.”