Michael Penix Jr.: ‘I Can’t Control’ If Injury History Impacts 2024 NFL Draft Status

Erin WalshMarch 1, 2024

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Former Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. isn’t worrying about how his injury history might impact his 2024 NFL draft status.

“If they are [worried about my injury history], I can’t control it at this point,” Penix told reporters Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. “That was another reason I came back [to Washington] for the 2023 season, was to have another fully healthy season, just show I’m ready to compete and ready to do it at the next level. At this point I can’t control the questions about the injuries.”

While there are concerns about Penix’s injury history, he has taken normal medical exams with all 32 teams at this week’s combine and they “went smoothly.” No teams requested additional testing for Penix.

At last month’s Senior Bowl, Penix said he also had his knee evaluated by Neal S. ElAttrache from the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles and that he was given a “thumbs up” from the noted orthopedist.

Penix isn’t sure if he’ll participate in the 40-yard dash or any of the jumping drills when quarterbacks take the field on Saturday. However, he acknowledged that he will throw.

Penix began his college career at Indiana, where he appeared in just 21 games across four seasons due to injuries. He tore the ACL in his right knee twice and suffered injuries to both shoulders during his time with the Hoosiers.

The 23-year-old transferred to Washington ahead of the 2022 campaign and appeared in 28 games across two seasons with the Huskies.

Penix increased his draft stock during his two seasons at Washington. He’s coming off a 2023 campaign in which he led the Huskies to the College Football Playoff national title game, where they fell to the Michigan Wolverines.

Penix completed 65.4 percent of his passes for 4,903 yards and 36 touchdowns against 11 interceptions in 15 games. He ended up a finalist for the 2023 Heisman, which went to LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Bleacher Report’s NFL Scouting Department has Penix listed as the fifth-best quarterback available in this year’s class. He’s considered to be in the second tier of signal-callers alongside the likes of Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy and Oregon’s Bo Nix.