Michael Penix, Falcons rumors seem to be more smoke than fire

Dallas Turner or Laiatu Latu? Who are the Falcons going to draft?

A few days away from Thursday’s first round and it’s anyone’s best guess. However, I feel very strongly that it won’t be Michael Penix.

There have been several notable pundits, including Adam Schefter, who have linked Penix to Atlanta.

“One NFL general manager said he believes “there is an undercurrent of support for Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix,” even though his team doesn’t have a first-round grade on either. This particular general manager said he believes both Penix Jr. and Nix are Day 2 picks. Some teams disagree, and there now is speculation Penix could go as high as No. 8 to the Falcons,” Schefter said.

He’s not the only one either. Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports recently pointed out in his latest mock draft that he believes Penix will be drafted in the first 12 picks after mocking the Washington quarterback to the Falcons.

“The Washington QB has been rising lately, and I believe he’ll be drafted in the first dozen picks no matter what happens next week. The Falcons paid a lot of money to a 36-year-old quarterback coming off an Achilles injury in a deal they can get out of in two years if they must,” Jones said.

Brian Baldinger had a similar opinion on Atlanta’s draft plans, taking to Twitter to say that he believes the Falcons will take Penix.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler appeared on SportsCenter over the weekend, discussing the Falcons being a landing spot for Penix.

“Well, the Falcons are certainly a candidate to get a passer at some point in the draft… They spent some time with Michael Penix Jr. This is interesting. When they went to visit him in Seattle for a private workout in early April, the whole contingent went, the head coach Raheem Morris, Fontenot, they flew all the way to Seattle just to watch him throw for a few hours and turned around and went home…” Fowler said. “That told me something as far as interest.”

I would be quite surprised if the Falcons go with a quarterback for their most valuable draft pick after signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal. It seems all of that, from Schefter, Jones, Baldiner, and Fowler is more smoke than fire because Vegas doesn’t even see it as a remote possibility.

I know it may seem crazy that I’m discounting these media pundits because betting odds should be taken with a grain of salt, but Michael Penix has the 10th-best odds to be the 8th pick, and the Falcons have the 7th-best odds to be the team that drafts him any time.

DraftKings odds to be 8th pick as of 4/23

• Dallas Turner +170
• Laiatu Latu +170
• Rome Odunze +650
• Byron Murphy +1100
• J.J. McCarthy +1500
• Jared Verse +1500
• Quinyon Mitchell +1600
• Malik Nabers +1700
• Terrion Arnold +2500
• Brock Bowers +3500
• Michael Penix +3500

DraftKings odds Michael Penix to be selected by which team as of 4/23

• Raiders +260
• Vikings +450
• Broncos +650
• Patriots +750
• Giants +950
• Rams +1300
• Falcons +1500

Though some Falcons fans are high on Michael Penix, I am not as much. I think that he benefited a lot from a great Washington coaching staff, excellent pass catchers, and weak opposing defenses.

I’m also no quarterback guru, so use your own judgment, but what isn’t debatable is that the Falcons would surprise a lot of people if they draft Michael Penix.