The biggest surprise of the 2024 NFL Draft was when the Atlanta Falcons selected Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick, just weeks after signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract (with $100 million guaranteed). Here’s everything you need to know about Penix and his journey to the NFL.
How Tall Is Michael Penix Jr.?
At the NFL Combine, Penix measured in at just over 6’2″, while he was listed at 6’3″ in college. Penix is right around the average height of an NFL quarterback, which is 6’3″, with nearly 70% of NFL quarterbacks being 6’2″ or taller.
The tallest quarterbacks in the NFL are Justin Herbert, Trevor Lawrence, and Tanner McKee — all of whom are listed at 6’6″. The shortest active QBs are Kyler Murray and Bryce Young, who are both listed at 5’10”.
How Much Does Penix Weigh?
Penix tipped the scales at 216 pounds, which is slightly below the average at the QB position in the NFL (225 pounds).
The heaviest quarterback in the NFL is Anthony Richardson at 245 pounds, and the lightest is Young at 204 pounds.
How Old Is Penix?
Penix was one of the oldest prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. He was born May 8, 2000, meaning he is 24 years old. For comparison, he’s two years older than Colts QB Richardson.
Richardson is the youngest quarterback in the NFL at 22 years old. Meanwhile, the NFL’s oldest quarterback is Aaron Rodgers at 40 years old.
What School Did Penix Go To?
Penix was born in Cookeville, Tenn., but he was raised in Dade City, Fla. He attended Tampa Bay Technical High School, where he started at quarterback for two seasons. He passed for 4,243 yards, 61 touchdowns, and six interceptions throughout his high school career, becoming a three-star recruit on 247Sports.
Penix committed to and played for the University of Indiana. He was with the Hoosiers from 2018-2021 before transferring to Washington, where he spent the final two seasons of his college career.
Revisiting Penix’s College Career
Penix spent four seasons with Indiana but never played in more than seven games in any of them. Why? He suffered a season-ending injury in all four seasons — two torn ACLs and two shoulder injuries. Penix passed for 4,197 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions while rushing for six touchdowns throughout his stint with the Hoosiers.
After transferring to Washington, Penix broke out in a major way. He played two full seasons, passing for 9,544 yards, 67 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions. He also added seven rushing touchdowns.
Penix won the AP Comeback Player of the Year in 2022 and the Maxwell Award in 2023. He was a first-team All-American, second-team All-Big Ten selection, and a two-time All-Pac-12 second-team selection.
In 2023, he completed 363 of 555 attempts for 4,903 yards, 36 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, earned a place as a Heisman finalist, and led the Huskies to a national championship game appearance.
The Falcons were impressed, selecting him with the No. 8 overall pick despite having huge needs across their defense.