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Washington passer Michael Penix Jr is a borderline first-round NFL talent, and his off-field measurables bode well for his draft stock – most notably his hand size.
The quarterback is participating in the Reese’s Senior Bowl this week as he looks to continue boosting his stock following a record-setting season.
Penix led the Huskies to their first national title appearance in the College Football Playoff era while pacing the nation in passing. His 4,903 passing yards broke the single-season school record and allowed him to finish second in the Heisman voting to Jayden Daniels.
‘Big Penix Energy’ was alive and well last fall, and that production certainly caught the eyes of pro scouts.
NFL analyst Daniel Jeremiah currently lists Penix as the 40th-best prospect in the draft class, as well as the sixth-best signal caller.
Penix has exceptional arm strength and toughness… the ball explodes out of his hand… Tosses a beautiful, lofting deep ball… I believe in his combination of vision, accuracy and arm strength.
While his tape shows his ability to see the field and successfully locate open targets, there are concerns.
Many have to do with his injury history, having suffered season-ending setbacks in each of his four seasons at Indiana. That trend stopped after he transferred to Washington, who had maybe college football’s best offensive line last year.
Durability and an unorthodox delivery have caused some hesitation, but off-the-field at measurables might be enough to get him back in the first-round conversation.
Washington QB Michael Penix’s left hand measurement at yesterday’s @seniorbowl registration was 10 3/8, which is especially large for someone 6024v.#TheDraftStartsInMOBILE™️ pic.twitter.com/OudHzkDE58
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) January 29, 2024
Reese’s Senior Bowl practice kicked off this week, and the quarterback is a headliner in the group of upperclassmen. Player measurements were taken on Monday, and one of Michael Penix’s traits is now trending – his hand size.
At nearly 10.5 inches, Penix’s massive mitts are tied with Tennessee’s Joe Milton for the biggest in the bunch. Other passers at the event include Spencer Rattler and Bo Nix, both of whom have garnered first-round interest this offseason.
Michael Penix Jr. has big hands pic.twitter.com/eaaqsjgo1X
— Grayson Weir (@GsonJW) January 30, 2024
It’s certainly not the first time hand size has been discussed in regard to draft stock. Kenny Pickett’s measurement came under intense scrutiny ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft, though for the opposite reason.
Despite the supposedly small hands, Pickett was selected in the first round by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Will Michael Penix see the same fate? Time will tell, but his huge left hand might just get him over the hump.
“Deep discussions about Michael Penix‘s hand size will be here before you know it.”
Hand size SZN has officially kicked off.