The Atlanta Falcons supplied the shock of the primary spherical of the NFL draft by choosing quarterback Michael Penix Jr with the No 8 total decide on Thursday evening.
The Falcons prolonged their current pattern of choosing offensive ability gamers within the first spherical by drafting Penix one month after signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180m contract with $100m assured. Utilizing a draft slot usually focused for gamers anticipated to make an instantaneous impression, the Falcons picked Penix because the obvious long-term successor to the 35-year-old Cousins. The Falcons had been anticipated to make use of the decide to spice up their move rush.
The Falcons additionally targeted on offensive playmakers with their final three first-round picks. Tight finish Kyle Pitts was the No 4 total decide in 2021, adopted by large receiver Drake London and working again Bijan Robinson, every No 8, the final two years.
Penix, who will likely be 24 as a rookie, led FBS faculties with 4,903 passing yards and was third with 36 landing passes at Washington in 2023. He gained the Maxwell Award because the nation’s high participant.
Mike McCarthy, Cousins’ agent, stated the quarterback was ‘shocked’ by the choice. “Sure, it was an enormous shock,” McCarthy instructed NFL Community. “We had no thought this was coming. The reality is the entire league had no thought this was coming. We acquired no heads up. Kirk acquired a name from the Falcons after they have been on the clock. That was the primary we heard. It by no means got here up in any dialog.”
Penix is extensively thought of to be probably the most pro-ready of any of this yr’s quarterback prospects. If the Falcons have been to select a quarterback, it was anticipated they might decide both JJ McCarthy or Drake Maye, developmental prospects who would sit behind Cousins for a few seasons.
With Cousins tied to a contract that can run for at the least two years, Atlanta faces the prospect of sitting Penix till he’s 26 years previous.
Falcons common supervisor Terry Fontenot stated this week he would contemplate choosing a quarterback excessive within the draft even when many of the outdoors focus had been on edge rushers. “If we see a participant that we imagine generally is a franchise quarterback at any level, whether or not it’s this draft, subsequent draft, whether or not it’s a participant we are able to commerce for, no matter it’s, it’s important to carry that participant in as a result of we’re speaking in regards to the subsequent 4 to 5 years plus after we’re speaking about guys that we’re drafting,” Fontenot stated.
“No completely different than after we’re speaking about some other place, such as you stated, you may say it’s surplus now, however it may be a significant want down the highway. I feel due to that and due to the magnitude of the consequences and the impression of that place, then you definitely at all times must be prepared to carry gamers in.”
The Falcons’ draft gained’t by affected by the NFL’s investigation of the group’s potential violation of tampering insurance policies earlier than signing Cousins, who appeared to point he had been in communication with group officers at a time the group would have been permitted to speak solely together with his agent.
