Schlereth: Michael Penix Jr. 'doesn't look like an NFL quarterback'

The 2024 NFL Draft is expected to be a quarterback-heavy one headlined by Caleb Williams at the top. Then there are guys like Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye, among others, before getting down to University of Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

Penix led the NCAA with 4,903 passing yards this season and got Washington to the NCAA Championship Game where the Huskies ultimately fell to the Michigan Wolverines by a final score of 34-13.

NFL analyst Mark Schlereth of Audacy’s “Stinkin Truth” podcast explained why he doesn’t think Penix is going to be able to find that same success in the NFL.

“Well apparently there are a lot of people out there that feel about Michael Penix like they did about Tim Tebow or the Rusties from the Russell Wilson camp,” Schlereth said (2:25 in player above). “I think there are a couple of things for me when I’m just looking at players. I kind of know what it’s supposed to look like. You can give me all the numbers you want to give me and you can kind of break down the tangible skillset stuff, but when I watch it on tape, I know what looks like an NFL quarterback and what doesn’t look like an NFL quarterback.”

Well, those numbers were pretty good for Penix Jr. He completed 363 of 555 passes (65.4%) for those 4,903 yards with 36 touchdowns and 11 interceptions for a 157.1 quarterback rating. However, college numbers don’t always transfer to the NFL.

“It’s not about who puts up the best numbers in college or who’s the best season in college, it’s the guy that has the most transferable skills to the next level,” Schlereth continued. “The most transferable part of his game, does it lend itself to playing at the next level? The only way you can really look at that, to me, at some point is through the eyeball test.”

Penix completed just 52.9% (27 for 51) of his passes in the National Championship game for 255 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Schlereth didn’t like what he saw against the Michigan defense.

“He must’ve had 18 completions either behind the line of scrimmage, at the line of scrimmage, or within four yards of the line of scrimmage,” Schlereth said. “I don’t know that you could invent another way to throw a bubble screen.”

Penix is expected to be selected in the first or second round of this year’s NFL Draft. Only time will tell if his skills can transfer to the next level.