Indiana Football: The Atlanta Falcons select former Indiana quarterback Michael Penix, Jr.

Former Indiana standout quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. is now an Atlanta Falcon. Before playing for a National Championship with the Washington Huskies, Penix was a standout in Bloomington. Penix played four injury-plagued seasons at Indiana before transferring to Washington. He was the catalyst for their back-to-back bowl seasons in 2019 and 2020.

Unfortunately for Penix, both of those years were cut short by season-ending knee injuries. In 2022, his offensive coordinator, Kalen DeBoer, became head coach of the Washington Huskies, and Penix followed him to Seattle. The move paid off for both the coach and the player. DeBoer built a Pac-12 powerhouse, and Penix revitalized his career.

DeBoer parlayed his success into becoming the new head coach at Alabama, and Penix is a first-round draft pick.

What are the Falcons getting?

There is no quarterback in this draft who throws with better timing than Michael Penix. The Alabama native's ball placement is second to none at all levels of the field. Although he is not necessarily a plus in the run game after the knee injuries, Penix evades the rush well, resets, and throws on time.

The Falcons have to protect Penix and keep him upright. With the skill players they've acquired over the last couple of drafts, Penix is an ideal quarterback for Raheem Morris and the Falcons.