Post by Purple Pain on Apr 24, 2024 9:21:51 GMT -6
SumerSports: The Tour of the Top Four, Appendix: Michael Penix Jr.
It is likely that a great deal of Penix’s confidence to attack defenses downfield was due to the incredible talent present in Washington’s receiver room. Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk, and Jalen McMillan are ranked #6, #59, and #65 respectively on PFF’s big board. The talent disparity Penix enjoyed between Washington’s receivers and the opposing defensive backs will likely not be present in the NFL.
One of the more concerning aspects of Penix’s game is the inability to convert the easy throws. Whether it be his unorthodox throwing motion or his sometimes heavy feet, his yards per attempt on short and intermediate throws ranked 6th and 5th among his fellow 2024 classmates. This is a weakness that was highlighted in the National Championship game. Michigan forced Penix to throw underneath all night. His average depth of target on the night was just 8 yards, 2.7 yards shy of his regular season average. This led to one of the worst performances of the season, with the Huskies mustering just 13 points and a two-interception game from Penix.
One of the most discussed strengths of Penix’s performance is his historically low pressure-to-sack ratio. When pressured, he did not take off and run. Despite showcasing his athleticism with an incredible pro day, which included a 4.5 40-yard dash time and a 36-inch vertical, Penix scrambled at an incredibly low rate. In 2023, Penix ran the ball just EIGHT times on non-designed runs, last among all quarterbacks in this draft class at just 2.2% of dropbacks.
Breaking down Penix’s pressures, a staggering 50.6% were either throwaways or aimed incompletions. While a throwaway is infinitely preferable to a sack (0.76 EPA lost vs 1.8 EPA lost), Penix’s 10.8% sack rate when pressured on the season begins to look a tad less impressive when factoring in the results compared to the other quarterbacks in the draft class.
One of the more notable components of Penix’s profile is the disparity in opinion between scouts and coaches. Penix is said to have “the stuff you can’t coach.” Whether it be sack avoidance, downfield accuracy, or simply making the right decision, Penix has a rare combination of quarterbacking tools. Another example of this is Penix’s ability to run an offense and execute what is asked of him, regardless of the demand.
Penix almost serves as the polar opposite to fellow soon-to-be rookie JJ McCarthy. McCarthy declared for the draft after just three seasons with the Wolverines, while Penix heads to Detroit after six. McCarthy boasts the lowest usage rate in the draft class at just 46.2%, while Penix posted the highest with 63.2%. McCarthy is a betting favorite to land inside the top 10, while Penix is an underdog to be a first-round selection.
Rest at the link above. ^
It is likely that a great deal of Penix’s confidence to attack defenses downfield was due to the incredible talent present in Washington’s receiver room. Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk, and Jalen McMillan are ranked #6, #59, and #65 respectively on PFF’s big board. The talent disparity Penix enjoyed between Washington’s receivers and the opposing defensive backs will likely not be present in the NFL.
One of the more concerning aspects of Penix’s game is the inability to convert the easy throws. Whether it be his unorthodox throwing motion or his sometimes heavy feet, his yards per attempt on short and intermediate throws ranked 6th and 5th among his fellow 2024 classmates. This is a weakness that was highlighted in the National Championship game. Michigan forced Penix to throw underneath all night. His average depth of target on the night was just 8 yards, 2.7 yards shy of his regular season average. This led to one of the worst performances of the season, with the Huskies mustering just 13 points and a two-interception game from Penix.
One of the most discussed strengths of Penix’s performance is his historically low pressure-to-sack ratio. When pressured, he did not take off and run. Despite showcasing his athleticism with an incredible pro day, which included a 4.5 40-yard dash time and a 36-inch vertical, Penix scrambled at an incredibly low rate. In 2023, Penix ran the ball just EIGHT times on non-designed runs, last among all quarterbacks in this draft class at just 2.2% of dropbacks.
Breaking down Penix’s pressures, a staggering 50.6% were either throwaways or aimed incompletions. While a throwaway is infinitely preferable to a sack (0.76 EPA lost vs 1.8 EPA lost), Penix’s 10.8% sack rate when pressured on the season begins to look a tad less impressive when factoring in the results compared to the other quarterbacks in the draft class.
One of the more notable components of Penix’s profile is the disparity in opinion between scouts and coaches. Penix is said to have “the stuff you can’t coach.” Whether it be sack avoidance, downfield accuracy, or simply making the right decision, Penix has a rare combination of quarterbacking tools. Another example of this is Penix’s ability to run an offense and execute what is asked of him, regardless of the demand.
Penix almost serves as the polar opposite to fellow soon-to-be rookie JJ McCarthy. McCarthy declared for the draft after just three seasons with the Wolverines, while Penix heads to Detroit after six. McCarthy boasts the lowest usage rate in the draft class at just 46.2%, while Penix posted the highest with 63.2%. McCarthy is a betting favorite to land inside the top 10, while Penix is an underdog to be a first-round selection.
Rest at the link above. ^
... and neither is this Chris guy.