NFL Draft Rumors: Teams Feel Michael Penix Jr. is a 1st-Round Lock amid Raiders Buzz

It's been assumed for weeks that four quarterbacks were assured of being selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft, but there is growing buzz that a fifth player should be added to the group.

On the Saturday morning SportsCenter (starts at 1:50 mark), ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said Michael Penix Jr. is a player who "seems to be rising" up draft boards and "several teams" believe he will be selected at some point in the first round.

There has been growing speculation the Las Vegas Raiders could be a landing spot for Penix.

ESPN's Matt Miller reported on Friday the Raiders "really do like" Penix and could use their first pick at No. 13 overall to select him.

The Raiders' current quarterback depth chart features Aidan O'Connell, Gardner Minshew II and Anthony Brown Jr. Head coach Antonio Pierce has spoken publicly about the need to find a quarterback because they need someone who can help them keep pace since they play in the same division as Patrick Mahomes.

For most of the lead up to the draft, it's been assumed that Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy were guaranteed to be first-round picks. It wouldn't even be a surprise if those are the first four selections, based on the needs of the top three teams (Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders and New England Patriots) and possibility of a team like the Raiders, New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings or Denver Broncos trading into the top four.

If those four quarterbacks come off the board within the first five or six picks, other teams looking for a starting option will have to figure out what they want to do.

Penix is not without flaws, including an extensive injury history that includes tearing the ACL in his right knee twice in three seasons when he played at Indiana. He's the 89th-ranked prospect in the 2024 class by B/R's NFL scouting department.

But all it takes is one team that saw what Penix did over the past two seasons at Washington and believes that will translate to the NFL for him to become a day one pick.

Penix finished in the top 10 in Heisman voting in each of the previous two years, including a second-place finish in 2023. He threw for 4,903 yards and 36 touchdowns to help Washington win the Pac-12 title and reach the College Football Playoff Championship Game last season.