My initial reaction when the Falcons selected Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft was shock. I wasn’t shocked by the team wanting Penix, who was my favorite non-Ohio State quarterback to watch during the 2023 NCAA season. And I wasn’t shocked by the draft position, given Penix’s skill set. But the decision to sign Kirk Cousins to a yachtload of guaranteed money definitely raised some questions for me.
That said, I’m a proponent of drafting the quarterback of the future and letting them learn behind a seasoned veteran before being pushed into a starting position.