There are signs pointing to the Las Vegas Raiders going after Washington’s Michael Penix Jr.; if he’s your guy, get him. However, it’s important to be cautious.
General manager Tom Telesco has already made it clear that all options are on the table. In fact, he’s publicly stated that the Raiders will be aggressive in their draft day approach—it all just depends on how the chips fall on Thursday. Some people feel that if the Raiders were to trade back into the first round and then grab Penix after drafting an offensive tackle or defensive back at No. 13, it’d be a home run scenario.
That’s true, but it’s also true that trades aren’t easy to pull off.
All that hearsay aside, Penix could very well be the quarterback that Telesco and the Raiders want. Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew aren’t going anywhere, but adding more competition to that room is what head coach Antonio Pierce is all about. Competition brings out the best in everyone.
Now, according to ESPN’s Matt Miller, the insider is hearing that the Raiders and Penix appear to be a match.
“One constant I keep hearing from people I trust is that the Raiders really do like Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and could select him at No. 13 overall. That would qualify as a surprise, despite the fact that Penix is a beautiful thrower from the pocket and has the best overall arm strength in this class.”
Should the Raiders be weary of drafting Michael Penix Jr.?
As far as his NFL prospects go, Penix is a difficult player to measure. A lot of it has to do with his health concerns. No one’s questioning the natural talent, but can he stay healthy in the grueling day-to-day of the NFL season? This isn’t college football anymore.
Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton pointed out that Penix also benefited from an NFL-level cast on offense. On top of that, Moton mentioned concerns about his accuracy.
“Health issues aside, Penix may have been a surefire first-rounder, but coaches will have to work with him on his inconsistent accuracy on short-to-intermediate throws, inefficiencies when throwing outside the pocket and his lack of touch on throws.”
Although no prospect is flawless, if not for Penix’s injury history, he would have been a top-10 pick. Instead, there’s a cautionary tale surrounding him and his health. Regardless, if Telesco and Co. have done their homework and Penix is the guy, you’d better believe he’ll be the pick. The question is: Will he be at No. 13 or later?
*Top Photo: Getty Images