Hall of Fame QB Warren Moon highlights the trait that stood out from Michael Penix Jr.'s pro day

Michael Penix Jr. is one of the most interesting quarterback prospects entering the 2024 NFL Draft. He comes in with some of the most intriguing upside of any player in the position, but also has some of the biggest red flags. This has resulted in his draft projections being all over the place with a wide range of realistic outcomes.

His polarizing prospect profile made it crucial for Penix to have a strong Pro Day with the Washington Huskies in order to improve his draft stock. He appears to have done exactly that, while also impressing Warren Moon in the process. The Hall of Fame quarterback recently commented about Penix's perfromance from his personal X account.

Moon stated:

"What a display of arm talent!"

Warren Moon is one of the greatest college football quarterbacks in the history of the Washington Huskies' program. Michael Penix Jr. recently joined that list as well after his incredible run over the past two years. During that time, he combined to throw for 9,544 yards with 67 touchdowns and a runner-up finish in the Heisman Trophy award voting.

Penix has been praised for being one of the most accurate quarterbacks in the country this year, and he proved it during his Pro Day. He consistently placed his passes exactly where they needed to be, both on short passes and deep balls.

To the surprise of some, Penix also showed off elite athleticism, after being labeled by most as a stationary pocket passer. He reportedly clocked a top time of 4.46 seconds in the 40-yard dash and also recorded a 36.5 inch vertical jump. All of this has seemingly helped his draft stock, but he will still need to overcome some major red flags.

Why Michael Penix Jr. is a risky pick in 2024 NFL Draft

Michael Penix Jr.

Based solely on his massive numbers with the Washington Huskies, paired with his strong performances at his Pro Day and the NFL Combine, it would seem that Michael Penix Jr. should be among the top prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. The catch is that he also comes with more risk than many of the other options.

Penix will already be 24 years old when the 2024 NFL season kicks off, which is surely on the older side for a rookie. He also has an extensive injury history that includes four season-ending injuries during his college football career. Two of them were in his knee and the other two were in his shoulder.

This has resulted in most draft projections having Penix as more of a Day 2 pick this year. Him showing off his talent and athleticism leading up to the draft has seemingly increased his stock, so if a team is willing to take the risk, it wouldn't be shocking to see him get drafted in the first round.