N/S Vikings fly entire staff to private workout with Michael Penix Jr. (1 Viewer)

[new city champ]

Man, I just disagree. I think there's a good chance Penix ends up as best QB in this draft. His arm talent is off the charts and he ran a sub-4.5 40 at his pro day. I get the injuries, but unlike Daniels he really tries to stay in the pocket and make a play downfield (love Daniels, but he takes some hits). If I'm Denver or Vikes or Vegas, I'm jumping for joy if Penix makes it to me and that card goes up one second after my pick comes up. Penix's situation is starting to remind me of Dan Marino in '83...

 

[bclemms]

Man, I just disagree. I think there's a good chance Penix ends up as best QB in this draft. His arm talent is off the charts and he ran a sub-4.5 40 at his pro day. I get the injuries, but unlike Daniels he really tries to stay in the pocket and make a play downfield (love Daniels, but he takes some hits). If I'm Denver or Vikes or Vegas, I'm jumping for joy if Penix makes it to me and that card goes up one second after my pick comes up. Penix's situation is starting to remind me of Dan Marino in '83...

I completely agree. Funny you mention Marino, he spins the ball just like him but as a lefty. Obviously way more athletic but man his upside is just massive. I think he's 1B with Daniels who is 1A. I too think his injury history has made him who he is. Daniels takes big hits but Penix's injuries have taught him how to not take those hits.

 

[St. Widge]

I completely agree. Funny you mention Marino, he spins the ball just like him but as a lefty. Obviously way more athletic but man his upside is just massive. I think he's 1B with Daniels who is 1A. I too think his injury history has made him who he is. Daniels takes big hits but Penix's injuries have taught him how to not take those hits.

I really liked Penix a lot but then I saw what happened when teams took away the deep passing areas and forced him to go underneath. He has issues with accuracy on short and intermediate throws. I'm also concerned that the injuries have taken away the lateral mobility a QB needs in the NFL to move around in the pocket and make off schedule throws. In fact, I didn't see him make many off schedule throws at all.

Still, I think he can be very good in the right system. That's true of many QBs, but I think Penix needs more of a system like Bruce Arians ran where he wanted to get the ball deep. I'm not sure he works in the Shanahan systems that seems to dominate the league and that is going to limit which teams will draft him. I really see him ending up being a Derek Carr type player. Carr has a similar ability to throw the deep ball, but similar accuracy issues on short and intermediate throws. Carr also has very little pocket mobility and seldom makes off schedule throws. It's why I have some concerns with how Carr will fit into the Saints new scheme.

Then again, there are many QBs starting in the NFL that are worse than Carr and it's certainly possible Penix could work on and get much better at short and intermediate throws.

 

[bclemms]

I really liked Penix a lot but then I saw what happened when teams took away the deep passing areas and forced him to go underneath. He has issues with accuracy on short and intermediate throws. I'm also concerned that the injuries have taken away the lateral mobility a QB needs in the NFL to move around in the pocket and make off schedule throws. In fact, I didn't see him make many off schedule throws at all.

Still, I think he can be very good in the right system. That's true of many QBs, but I think Penix needs more of a system like Bruce Arians ran where he wanted to get the ball deep. I'm not sure he works in the Shanahan systems that seems to dominate the league and that is going to limit which teams will draft him. I really see him ending up being a Derek Carr type player. Carr has a similar ability to throw the deep ball, but similar accuracy issues on short and intermediate throws. Carr also has very little pocket mobility and seldom makes off schedule throws. It's why I have some concerns with how Carr will fit into the Saints new scheme.

Then again, there are many QBs starting in the NFL that are worse than Carr and it's certainly possible Penix could work on and get much better at short and intermediate throws.

He had a rough game against Michigan but it wasn't all on him. It was a weird game where he wasn't in sync with his receivers. Then again, the line of scrimmage was just dominated by Michigan. The rest of the season he didn't have the short and intermediate problems. I watched every Washington game this season. Knew from week 1 I was watching something special and they were a fun watch.

 

[St. Widge]

He had a rough game against Michigan but it wasn't all on him. It was a weird game where he wasn't in sync with his receivers. Then again, the line of scrimmage was just dominated by Michigan. The rest of the season he didn't have the short and intermediate problems. I watched every Washington game this season. Knew from week 1 I was watching something special and they were a fun watch.

I don't claim to have watched all his games but I did watch the Michigan game, Texas game, both games against Oregon, and significant parts of the late PAC 10 games he has played for the last couple years. I agree he sometimes looks better than others in the short and intermediate game but it didn't look great even when he played against Oregon. But, he did look better against some of the lesser PAC 10 teams. He's a great deep ball thrower, but even some of that and the intermediate passing was helped by throwing to the best contested catch guy in college football, Odunze.

Anyway, if I were the Saints, I might take a shot at him at #14 because he can develop and has shown development in college and would certainly take a shot at #45 if he was there (doubt he will be), but I fear that the NFL is going to be much more like playing Michigan where they will negate the deep throws and force him to the short and intermediate game which is not great at. It's what teams did to Carr last year and, like I said, I see Carr similarities with Penix. The difference is that Carr is now who he is but Penix could still get better at the short and intermediate throws.

 

[DSnfla]

I made mention of that, or at least I thought I did. He said the hardest tape for him to get a grasp on is Williams, because he doesn't like the offense and their O-line caused issues, but when looking at them play QB and playing in schedule, playing in the pocket, making certain throws, etc, he said that Penix and JD5 consistently had the best tape. He felt Nix and Penix were the most accurate.

Honestly, what he said is the tweet you posted is why I don't get the "generational" title being thrown at Williams because nothing that he does or have done really points to that. Not saying that he isn't good and can't be great but he probably really only got that title because of playmaking and not quarterbacking, and sometimes, it feels like he is forcing it. If he indeed goes to the Bears, at least he will be in an infinitely better situation that what his predecessor had to go through.

All due respect to Kurt it's been almost 15 yrs since he put on a helmet. The NFL game has changed. QB's are starting to be as much playmakers as QB's And Williams is that , a playmaker. And he did it with far less of a supporting cast than JD or Penix. Especially JD

 

[jahsoul357]

I really liked Penix a lot but then I saw what happened when teams took away the deep passing areas and forced him to go underneath. He has issues with accuracy on short and intermediate throws. I'm also concerned that the injuries have taken away the lateral mobility a QB needs in the NFL to move around in the pocket and make off schedule throws. In fact, I didn't see him make many off schedule throws at all.

Still, I think he can be very good in the right system. That's true of many QBs, but I think Penix needs more of a system like Bruce Arians ran where he wanted to get the ball deep. I'm not sure he works in the Shanahan systems that seems to dominate the league and that is going to limit which teams will draft him. I really see him ending up being a Derek Carr type player. Carr has a similar ability to throw the deep ball, but similar accuracy issues on short and intermediate throws. Carr also has very little pocket mobility and seldom makes off schedule throws. It's why I have some concerns with how Carr will fit into the Saints new scheme.

Then again, there are many QBs starting in the NFL that are worse than Carr and it's certainly possible Penix could work on and get much better at short and intermediate throws.

Joe Flacco played in a "Shanahan-Kubiak" system last season and led the league in CAY/cmp.
Off-schedule stuff doesn't impress me too much and truth is, when quantified, the results are ignored. I think he will succeed because he isn't being looked at as a top pick, although he is probably the most skilled at the position of QB out of everyone coming out this season. He will probably go to a team that is not looking for a "savoir" and get a chance to learn and grow for a season or 2. I do get the injury concerns 100% though.

All due respect to Kurt it's been almost 15 yrs since he put on a helmet. The NFL game has changed. QB's are starting to be as much playmakers as QB's And Williams is that , a playmaker. And he did it with far less of a supporting cast than JD or Penix. Especially JD

Tom Brady retired in 2022 and he said that the reason most players in the league are running around to find open receivers is because they didn't properly diagnose presnap..lol. Mahomes led the league in being responsible for his own pressure. People loved Russell Wilson making all of those plays; tape showed that he was missing reads across the middle. The game has changed because actual skill at QB is diminished and development is no longer a thing. (well, except the Packers). It's more scheme than what a QB has to actually diagnose and do. I remember telling you all that downing QBs while trying to hold someone to the standard of QB Drew was and is crazy when most of the "favorites" around the league didn't have to do half of that. You and I talked about this before; you aren't seeing most QBs letting ball go at the end of a 5 step drop or actually going through real "true" progressions. The game for the QB has been simplified, so people want to use words like "processing" and "IQ" when in actuality, QBs have to do less....lol

 

[DougieV]

Don't be surprised if New England trades back a few spots and takes Penix, Jr. and a top 5 tackle or guard.. I suspect the Vikings will try to trade up in front of them but if they're unable to, I think they'll pick the QB from LSU, J Daniels...

 

[slaym]

I would take him if he is there at 14.