Former Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. remains undeterred by concerns over his injury history as he approaches the 2024 NFL draft.
Addressing reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Friday, Penix expressed a pragmatic outlook, stating, “If they are [worried about my injury history], I can’t control it at this point.”
He emphasized that returning to Washington for the 2023 season was motivated by a desire to showcase his readiness for the next level through a fully healthy campaign. Regarding inquiries about his injuries, Penix noted, “At this point I can’t control the questions about the injuries.”
Despite lingering concerns, Penix underwent standard medical examinations with all 32 teams during the combine, with no requests for further testing. At the Senior Bowl last month, he received a positive evaluation on his knee from orthopedist Neal S. ElAttrache of the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute.
While Penix remains uncertain about his participation in certain drills, such as the 40-yard dash and jumping drills, he confirmed his intention to showcase his throwing ability.
Penix’s collegiate journey began at Indiana, where injuries limited his appearances to 21 games over four seasons, including two ACL tears and shoulder injuries. He transferred to Washington in 2022, where he played in 28 games over two seasons, notably leading the Huskies to the College Football Playoff national title game in 2023.
During his tenure at Washington, Penix significantly bolstered his draft stock, culminating in a standout 2023 season where he completed 65.4 percent of his passes for 4,903 yards and 36 touchdowns in 15 games. Despite being a Heisman finalist, the prestigious award ultimately went to LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels.
In Bleacher Report’s assessment, Penix is ranked as the fifth-best quarterback in the upcoming draft class, positioning him within the second tier of signal-callers alongside prospects like Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy and Oregon’s Bo Nix.
