Washington Huskies Football

Michael Penix Jr. boosted his 2024 NFL draft stock with his pro day performance on Thursday.

The former Washington signal-caller impressed several representatives from NFL teams that watched him participate in drills, with one anonymous coach expecting to hear his name called on the first day of the draft.

"Freak show! Dude runs 4.5 and then jumps 37 inches," the coach texted NFL insider Jordan Schultz. "Arm strength is crazy in person. Locked in 1st rounder."

Penix Jr. recorded a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at his pro day.

Michael Penix Jr. with a casual 4.46 40-time 😅

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/of755MjvWd

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) March 28, 2024

The 23-year-old also showcased a 36.5" vertical jump after only participating in throwing drills during the scouting combine in Indianapolis.

That's a 36.5" vert for @UW_Football QB @themikepenix 😳 pic.twitter.com/O3JP79A4Uy

— NFL (@NFL) March 28, 2024

Penix Jr. thrived in front of a large audience at his pro day, as NFL Network's Omar Ruiz noted that representatives from all 32 teams were present. In total, over 100 scouts and talent evaluators showed up.

Concerns about his draft range have stemmed from his age and injury history, as he's older than other top quarterback prospects such as 22-year-old Caleb Williams and 21-year-old Drake Maye. Penix Jr. also dealt with multiple torn ACL injuries in college, which may cause front offices to question his durability.

Still, his performance on Thursday combined with his 2023 production could be enough to warrant a first-round selection.

He's coming off a phenomenal senior campaign with the Huskies, completing 65.4 percent of his throws for 4,903 yards and 36 touchdowns compared to 11 interceptions. It marked the second consecutive year in which he surpassed 4,600 yards and 30 touchdown passes.

In the latest mock draft by Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department, Penix Jr. fell into the second round as he was taken by the Las Vegas Raiders with the No. 44 overall pick.

However, it's clear that at least one NFL coach believes that he won't have to wait until Day 2 in order to hear his name called.

Former Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. wasn't impressed with his 40-yard dash time of 4.46 seconds at the school's pro day on Thursday.

Michael Penix Jr. with a casual 4.46 40-time 😅

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/of755MjvWd

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) March 28, 2024

"Should've been a 4.4," Penix Jr. said afterwards in an interview with ESPN (1:12 mark).

When asked about his overall performance at Washington's pro day, he wasn't overjoyed with the results although he was satisfied with everything that he was able to showcase in front of scouts.

"Not as good as I wanted to, but I felt good," Penix Jr. explained. "I felt like I've done better in different scenarios, but I'm blessed. I feel good with my numbers, I'm super blessed, I feel like I didn't have to show too much more than what I did today."

As he prepares for the 2024 NFL draft, the 23-year-old still impressed many with his overall output on Thursday despite failing to reach his own lofty personal goals. Penix Jr. also recorded a 36.5" vertical jump while displaying the arm talent that resulted in a No. 2 finish in 2023 Heisman Trophy voting.

That's a 36.5" vert for @UW_Football QB @themikepenix 😳 pic.twitter.com/O3JP79A4Uy

— NFL (@NFL) March 28, 2024

Mike Penix, Jr. showed off the arm strength & elite ball placement here 😤@themikepenix | @UW_Football

(via @OmarDRuiz) pic.twitter.com/e2bdVLinOQ

— NFL (@NFL) March 28, 2024

In the latest big board from Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department, Penix Jr. ranked No. 6 among quarterback prospects in the 2024 class.

B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen highlighted the arm strength of the former Husky in his scouting report of the signal-caller.

"Everything with Penix's game starts and ends with arm strength," Klassen wrote. "The ball explodes out of his hand. He can bomb it 60 yards down the field with the flick of the wrist, as well as attack tight windows to the intermediate range. Penix is at his most accurate down the field as well."

Although he wasn't able to run an exact 4.4-second 40-yard dash on Thursday, Penix Jr. likely boosted his draft stock regardless.

There is no shortage of intriguing quarterback prospects for the 2024 NFL draft with Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy, among others, standing out as potential first-round picks, and Michael Penix Jr. had the opportunity to bolster his stock during Washington's pro day on Thursday.

And he did just that.

The signal-caller quickly turned heads with his 40-yard dash time and vertical jump. Albert Breer of The MMQB noted he was timed at 4.53 seconds on one scout's watch and 4.56 seconds on another scout's watch.

That's a 36.5" vert for @UW_Football QB @themikepenix 😳 pic.twitter.com/O3JP79A4Uy

— NFL (@NFL) March 28, 2024

That type of speed and athleticism stands out considering Penix was never much of a scrambler during his collegiate career at Indiana and Washington. He tallied 134 rushing attempts at two yards per carry over five years and 49 games.

Naturally, there was plenty of reaction from social media to his performance:

So Penix runs sub 4.5 forty & jumps out of the gym @UW_Football pro day

Stock keeps climbing

Good for him. He knows how to put on a show 🍿 🍿 pic.twitter.com/LQsjKX6KkN

— Brock Huard (@BrockHuard) March 28, 2024

Michael Penix Jr. will make an NFL team VERY happy

I think he ends up being a top 3 QB in the class
https://t.co/exIWhAuf4p

— Kevin Lapka (@kevcharles112) March 28, 2024

People assume you can’t move if you don’t leave the pocket. Wasn’t thinking 4.4 but you can always tell Penix could move.

— Marcus Johnson (@TheMarcJohnNFL) March 28, 2024

Great 40 time for Michael Penix.

Another reminder - he’s not immobile. The tool is in his toolbox, he just doesn’t use it often https://t.co/n2NN1flctO

— Alex Barth (@RealAlexBarth) March 28, 2024

Penix essentially never ran at Washington but elite athleticism should at a minimum give teams confidence that his historic sack avoidance will translate well to the NFL. https://t.co/aYf85asL81

— Kyle Dvorchak (@kyletweetshere) March 28, 2024

Michael Penix Jr. is, in fact, athletic 😅 https://t.co/c8tREQLTRP pic.twitter.com/4hC7KfTeYN

— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) March 28, 2024

Michael Penix Jr is the best pocket passer in the draft and he just ran a 4.46 40 yard dash

If he stays as healthy as he’s been the last 2 years, he’s going to be a star https://t.co/FMyUqy721c

— Heated Giants (@miagiants) March 28, 2024

Michael Penix had 2 ACL tears and barely scrambled in college, but is apparently as fast as Jalen Hurts?! https://t.co/KTSoABh8RR

— Josh Larky (@jlarkytweets) March 28, 2024

You’d never know about Penix’s two injuries with that 40 time and a 36.5 inch vert. https://t.co/9Lu7a0aPMm

— 𝘾𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙧 (@CameronParkerPO) March 28, 2024

That’s fast for a prospect that basically never ran at Washington. Somewhat meaningful pro day for Penix. https://t.co/zoPMC3FFyY

— Hayden Winks (@HaydenWinks) March 28, 2024

There were also plenty of teams there to see Penix, as Omar Ruiz of NFL Network noted more than 100 NFL scouts and talent evaluators representing all 32 teams were in attendance. Those in attendance also included Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider, as well as New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll.

Such a performance in the 40-yard dash surely didn't come as a surprise to Penix himself, as he told ESPN's Molly McGrath, "I ain't no bum. I want to show off my athleticism and prove that I can run when I need to."

Penix was largely a thrower in college and led the Huskies to the College Football Playoff national title game as a Heisman Trophy finalist last season. He completed 65.4 percent of his passes for 4,903 yards, 36 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

That arm was also on display:

The signature Michael Penix downfield accuracy on display at his Pro Day pic.twitter.com/oF0vIw6vAk

— Omar Ruiz (@OmarDRuiz) March 28, 2024

UW QB Michael Penix Jr. begins his throwing workout, hits Ja’Lynn Polk on the out route. Fellow WR Rome Odunze, a presumptive top 10 pick, is not working out today. pic.twitter.com/NBPAkKlCR3

— Omar Ruiz (@OmarDRuiz) March 28, 2024

There are some concerns with Penix, as he is older than most prospects and will turn 24 years old in May. He also dealt with some injury concerns when he was at Indiana, although he certainly looked healthy and quick during Thursday's pro day.

Still, production was not a question.

B/R's NFL Scouting Department projected him as the No. 44 overall pick in its latest mock draft earlier this month, which was behind Williams (No. 1), Maye (No. 2), Daniels (No. 3), McCarthy (No. 8) and Bo Nix (No. 42).

Perhaps Thursday's showing will improve that outlook.

With the 2024 NFL draft approaching, Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze reportedly will not participate in the school's pro day on Thursday.

According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, the highly regarded prospect "plans to stand on his performance at the NFL Combine in February, where he performed all of the wide receiver drills and ran a 4.45 40-yard dash."

Earlier this month, B/R's NFL Scouting Department ranked Odunze as the third-best receiver in this year's draft class behind Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. and LSU's Malik Nabers.

Odunze isn't the only one from that list who skipped some of the pre-draft process, as Harrison did not participate in testing at the NFL Scouting Combine or the Buckeyes' pro day. Nabers didn't run or test at the combine either.

All three accumulated plenty of impressive film during their excellent college careers and could be top-10 picks regardless of how much or how little they did in terms of testing leading up to the draft.

Odunze helped lead the Huskies to the College Football Playoff national championship game behind a dominant season of 92 catches for 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns. It was his second straight year with more than 1,100 receiving yards.

There is very little he couldn't do with the speed to beat cornerbacks on deep balls and the hands to come down with contested catches. He was also elusive and physical enough after the catch to pick up additional yardage and will surely be a key part of whichever offense selects him come draft day.

B/R's NFL Scouting Department projected him to go No. 6 overall in its latest mock draft, which was behind Harrison (No. 4) and ahead of Nabers (No. 7).

"This year's group of wide receivers is stacked, particularly at the top, where someone like Washington's Rome Odunze could be the WR1 in almost any other class," the mock draft said.

Skipping Washington's pro day isn't going to change that perception of Odunze, especially since he participated in receiver drills and testing at the combine and showcased his overall athleticism.

That, along with his overwhelming production in college, should be enough to land him near the top of the draft board.

University of Washington defensive coordinator Steve Belichick provided a blunt (yet accurate) response when asked what the difference is between himself and his father, former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.

The younger Bellichick said, "I got a job and he doesn't."

Washington Huskies DC Steve Belichick on the differences he has with his dad, Bill:

“I got a job and he doesn’t.” 😂😂

pic.twitter.com/9XZ0aFAfo2

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) March 27, 2024

The elder Belichick and the Patriots parted ways after 24 seasons, which included six Super Bowl victories and nine AFC titles.

Steve coached on his father's staff from 2012 to 2023 in a variety of roles, including defensive play-caller from 2020 to 2023.

Officially, the younger Belichick served as a defensive assistant (2012-2015) before moving onto safeties (2016-2018), defensive backs (2019), outside linebackers (2020-2021) and linebackers (2022-2023).

When his father left the Pats, Steve went off searching for a new job. He didn't have to wait long to find one as he joined Jedd Fisch's staff at Washington. Fisch, who had just successfully rebuilt the Arizona program, is in his first year as the Huskies' head coach.

He replaced Kalen DeBoer, who led Washington to a national championship game appearance before leaving for Alabama to succeed Nick Saban.

The new gig gives Belichick a chance to shine as a true defensive coordinator, as opposed to working under the auspices of his father, who was the de-facto leader of the defense.

As for Bill Belichick, he didn't land a head coaching gig this offseason despite interviewing twice for the Atlanta Falcons job, but he's been heavily rumored to potentially land a television gig. As noted by The Athletic's Andrew Marchand, Belichick is being pursued by ESPN, but he does not have interest in being part of a regular studio show.

HEIGHT: 6'1"

WEIGHT: 236

HAND: 9¼"

ARM: 32⅞"

WINGSPAN: 79⅝"

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40-YARD DASH: 4.56

3-CONE:

SHUTTLE:

VERTICAL: 39.5"

BROAD: 10'8"

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POSITIVES

— Decent weight for a modern linebacker and moves really well. Also has good arm length.

— Good movement skills, impressive speed, change of direction and agility, with loose hips to cover running backs in man coverage.

— Accelerates well to help click and close when playing zone coverage.

— Has a flexible and bendy lower body with good lateral movement to help work around blocks.

— Has plenty of speed to beat climbing offensive linemen to the spot and/or close on the running back when he does read run plays correctly or is blitzing.

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NEGATIVES

— Shaky instincts versus the run, especially versus zone runs. Slow to key and diagnose, will get caught in the trash, doesn't put himself in a good position to take on blocks and often looks like he's guessing where the ball is going.

— Struggles to hold ground in the running game and gets pushed out of his gap easily, even by good blocking tight ends.

— Doesn't get much extension despite his long arms and gets stuck on blocks.

— Lunges and leaves his feet to tackle.

— Subpar eye discipline in zone coverage. Likes to stare in the backfield and doesn't locate threats coming into his area well.

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2023 STATISTICS

— 15 G, 94 TOT, 8 TFL, 3 SK, 1 INT, 3 PD, 1 FF

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NOTES

— Born Jan. 23, 2000

— 0-star recruit in the 2018 class, per 247Sports

— Only had 2 FCS offers out of high school and walked on at Washington

— Injuries: Arm (2021, missed 6 games), Left Knee (2022, surgery, missed spring ball only played in 5 games and very few snaps)

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OVERALL

Edefuan Ulofoshio can be a good coverage linebacker in the NFL. He has impressive movement skills, as evidenced by his unofficial 9.54 RAS at the NFL combine. That shows in his ability to cover running backs and avoid getting picked in man coverage, and he can click in close when playing zone. He just needs to improve his eye discipline in the latter.

The running game is a different story, though. Ulofoshio's instincts are still a work in progress, as it often looks like he's guessing against zone runs. When he guesses right or is unblocked, he has impressive speed to make plays near the line of scrimmage, but he's wrong more often than not and lacks the strength to hold his ground when taking on blocks.

The Washington product even struggles with good blocking tight ends and will get stuck on blocks. Whichever team drafts him will have to spend some time in the weight room with him and be patient in this area of his game. It's also worth noting that he'll be an older rookie at 24 and suffered a couple of significant injuries in college.

Overall, Ulofoshio would be a good fit as a "Will" in even fronts for a team that's looking for an athletic linebacker who can contribute in coverage and on special teams.

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GRADE: 6.2 (High-Level Developmental Prospect — 5th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 144

POSITION RANK: LB8

PRO COMPARISON: Shades of Jerome Baker

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.

First, Michael Penix Jr. led Washington to the College Football Playoff national championship game.

Now, he is making excellent impressions and moving up NFL draft boards ahead of his professional career.

ESPN's Jordan Reid said Tuesday (1:20 mark) he believes Penix helped himself the most among all the quarterbacks during the NFL Scouting Combine, pointing out he "was throwing absolute lasers" and was able to make "every single throw possible."

Reid's assessment came after ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported on Sunday's SportsCenter that teams "felt pretty good" about Penix's performance at the combine.

"The measurables were good," Fowler said. "Hands 10.5, so a cold-weather team, if you want to get your hands on Penix, you can do that. He's in a good spot for sure. We'll see if he can sneak into the first round but certainly he's a player who's trending upward right now."

B/R's NFL Scouting Department projected Penix to be the No. 44 overall pick in its latest mock draft, which was just behind Oregon's Bo Nix at No. 42. It also had four quarterbacks going in the top 10 in Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels and J.J. McCarthy.

Penix's ability to perhaps separate himself from Nix could ultimately be the difference between going in the second round and toward the end of the first round.

He took steps toward doing just that at the combine and will likely have more opportunities to do so during his pro day.

The NFL Scouting Combine was apparently a success for Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Sunday on SportsCenter that he spoke to three teams about the signal-caller, and they all "said it went well" with one scout calling him a "stud" who "explained himself, explained his game, process information, got on the big board, drew up some plays" during interviews.

"They felt pretty good about him," Fowler continued. "He threw the ball well. He can quote, 'Yes, make all of the throws'. But also, the measurables were good. Hands 10.5, so a cold-weather team, if you want to get your hands on Penix, you can do that. He's in a good spot for sure. We'll see if he can sneak into the first round but certainly he's a player who's trending upward right now."

Penix is a household name among college football fans after leading the Huskies to the College Football Playoff national championship game.

Derrik Klassen of B/R's NFL Scouting Department ranked him as the No. 5 overall quarterback in this draft, but he clearly helped himself in Indianapolis. And it wasn't just through the interviews, as B/R's NFL Scouting Department called him "comfortably the best quarterback during throwing drills" among the second group of competitors.

"Penix nailed most of the routes he threw," the evaluation read. "Short or deep, inside or outside, it didn't really matter; Penix put it on his man."

Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels are widely considered the top three quarterbacks in this year's draft class, but Penix is competing with J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix as they all attempt to separate themselves from the secondary group.

The ability to perhaps separate ahead of April's draft could be the difference between being a first-round pick and going in the second round or later, and Penix took a major step toward generating some of that necessary buzz at the combine.

Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze is expected to run and test at the scouting combine ahead of the 2024 NFL draft, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Odunze had a terrific year as the No. 1 wide receiver for a Washington team that made it to the College Football Playoff National Championship game, recording 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns.

His stellar 2023 campaign caused him to be named a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award.

Odunze's willingness to participate in the combine comes as a mild surprise considering the other top wide receiver prospects in the draft class have declined the opportunity. Rapoport noted that both Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and LSU wideout Malik Nabers will not run or test.

The 21-year-old possesses the speed to take the top off opposing defenses while using his 6'3" frame to haul in his fair share of contested catches as well. Odunze's 92 receptions represented the highest mark of all players in the Pac-12, while his 17.8 yards per catch was the second-highest average among Pac-12 receivers (min. 20 receptions).

Mike and Rome doing Mike and Rome things 😮‍💨🙌 pic.twitter.com/gQdK4YR02U

— Washington Football (@UW_Football) November 25, 2023

Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department currently has him ranked as the No. 3 wide receiver and No. 9 overall player in the 2024 class on the latest big board, giving him a grade of 8.5.

In Odunze's scouting report, B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen highlighted his ability to make a quarterback's life easier with his crisp route-running and wide catch radius.

"Odunze is a quarterback's best friend," Klassen wrote. "He's a reliable route-runner with good size and an accuracy-erasing catch radius. Odunze can be a classic X receiver who moonlights as a slot receiver from time to time thanks to his awareness and ability to play in traffic."

It'll be intriguing to see Odunze's 40-yard dash time, as a strong performance could potentially move him over another prospect such as Nabers in the eyes of certain front offices.

HEIGHT: 6'1"

WEIGHT: 198

HAND: 10"

ARM: 32⅛"

WINGSPAN: 77⅜"

---

40-YARD DASH: 4.47

3-CONE: 6.94

SHUTTLE: 4.18

VERTICAL: 37"

BROAD: 10'7"

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POSITIVES

— Good speed. Comfortable acceleration with fairly threatening top speed.

— Great flexibility and body control. Quick, fluid mover.

— Great route-running ability. Shows ability to mix up releases, manipulate DBs at the top of routes and play through contact.

— Very good stop/start ability. Can throttle up and down throughout his routes with ease.

— Good hand-eye coordination. Can make catches outside his frame in space.

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NEGATIVES

— Not a creative or strong YAC threat. Most of his damage is done when he can just stride out.

— Ability to win the ball above the rim and in traffic comes and goes.

— Below-average play strength overall.

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2023 STATISTICS

— 11 G, 45 REC, 559 YDS (12.4 AVG), 5 TD

---

NOTES

— Born Dec. 7, 2001

— 4-star recruit in 2020 class, per 247Sports

— Also had D1 scholarship offers as a baseball player

— 24 career starts

— Battled a knee injury on and off in 2023

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OVERALL

Jalen McMillan is a slot/Z hybrid who checks every box for the position.

McMillan spent a lot of time in the slot at Washington, but more out of necessity than anything else. Rome Odunze and Ja'Lynn Polk often took the snaps outside, but when asked to fill in for those two, McMillan looked plenty capable of beating press and running routes outside the numbers.

McMillan's route-running in general is his selling point. He has a dangerous blend of explosiveness and smooth body control. It's easy not only for McMillan to keep DBs guessing at the line, but also at the top of routes. He does so well to bait and manipulate DBs into opening their hips one way, only to cross over and beat them the other way.

McMillan also has impressive speed control. He can come to a sharp stop at the top of certain routes, such as curls and dig routes. But McMillan can also kick into high gear and pick up speed in a hurry when need be. He may not be an elite deep threat this stage, but he has plenty of juice to stride out and be a problem.

McMillan is a reliable catcher as well. Though his ability to win the ball in the air is up and down, McMillan excels when playing the ball elsewhere. He so comfortably catches the ball away from his body and makes sure to attack it at its earliest point. Drops are rarely an issue.

The main downside with McMillan is his YAC ability. Although he's fast and relatively explosive, McMillan is not a natural ball-carrier. He doesn't have that sixth sense in space to shed tacklers and fight for extra yardage. McMillan's best use with the ball is when he simply gets to outrun defenders.

McMillan should contribute right away in the NFL. His well-rounded athletic profile, route-running chops and reliable hands will allow him to be productive from day one, both from the slot and outside. McMillan's alignment flexibility and balanced skill set make him a fit for any offense.

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GRADE: 7.5 (Potential Impact Player - 2nd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 40

POSITION RANK: WR6

PRO COMPARISON: Jaxon Smith-Njigba

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.