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The Atlanta Falcons became the biggest story of the 2024 NFL Draft as their decision to draft University of Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the #8 overall pick was widely considered to be the most controversial selection of the draft.
Penix Jr’s selection was so perplexing because — not only does he have a well-documented injury history that resulted in him having four-straight season-ending injuries in college — the team just gave 35 year old quarterback Kirk Cousins a $100 million contract earlier in the offseason, a clear sign that they’re operating in “win now” mode.
And a team in win-now mode, at least a competently run one, doesn’t use its Top 10 draft pick on a player that, in an ideal world, doesn’t become the team’s started for a few years.
Speaking to reporters after the draft, new Falcons head coach Raheem Morris tried to compare the situation to the relationship of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
“I hate for it to be like the story of the draft. I know it will be,” Morris said. “That’s just how our world is based and is driven, but I can’t say it’s annoying. No. Because it’s what people want to see, it’s piqued more interest. What’s [Travis] Kelce’s girlfriend’s name? I feel like her right now. I’m Taylor Swift and Terry is Kelce, I guess.”
#Falcons coach Raheem Morris on ATL taking Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall: “I hate for it to be like the story of the draft. I know it will be. That's just how our world is based and is driven, but I can't say it's annoying. No. Because it's what people want to see, it’s…
— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) April 27, 2024
In his official NFL Draft grades, ESPN’s famed NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. gave the Falcons a C, the lowest grade he gave any team, saying that “the Falcons had a chance to improve their defense with the best prospects still on the board and didn’t take it.”
“Instead, they chose a quarterback to sit behind a guy to whom they just gave $100 million guaranteed,” Kiper says. “I just don’t get the logic here, and it’s not like Penix is raw, either. He turns 24 in May and has played a ton of football. It was one of the most shocking picks I can remember in Round 1.”
Despite having what many experts consider to be a haphazard draft, the Falcons remain the betting favorites to win the NFC South this season.