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Ahead of the 2024 NFL draft, Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is one of the most intriguing prospects on the board. The 2023 Heisman Trophy finalist has spent time visiting potential teams, including the New England Patriots.
He has not been alone on these trips, with his longtime girlfriend, Olivia Carter, often tagging along for the ride.
The couple showed off their matching red and white outfits in a stunning mirror selfie posted on Instagram. Carter wore an all-white dress with a red handbag, while Penix had on a white T-shirt and red bottoms.
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The case for Michael Penix Jr. in this year's draft
Michael Penix Jr. was arguably the best quarterback in college football last season, leading his team to the Pac-12 title, beating the Oregon Ducks twice and reaching the national championship game.
He threw for the most yards (4,903) in the pass-heavy Washington Huskies scheme favored by coach Kalen DeBoer. He completed 65.4% of his passes, leading to 36 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
In addition, he finished just behind LSU's Jayden Daniels in the Heisman Trophy voting, and yet, he has been usurped by quarterbacks like the Michigan Wolverines' J.J. McCarthy and Drake Maye of North Carolina.
According to The Athletic's draft expert Bruce Feldman, an anonymous NFL assistant coach ranked Penix as the No. 3 quarterback in this year's draft class, just behind Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels.
"He can already do all the pocket stuff. I just wish he had more juice," the coach said. "He's more of a slow-burn guy. Get pissed off when you don't throw one good in the workout. Get excited about something. … If he would've run a little more, he would definitely have been top-10. He and Caleb have the best anticipation. He doesn't take sacks."
Michael Penix falls on the older side of the prospects typically drafted, and he will be 24 by the time the new NFL season rolls around, perhaps accounting for the see-saw nature of his draft prospects.
CBS Sports analyst Robert Turbin backed the former Washington Huskies quarterback during an "Inside College Football" episode.
“I do feel like he is the best quarterback in this draft,” Turbin said. “It’s all the intangibles that you look at when you think about building a starting quarterback for a franchise. It is his accuracy. It is his pocket presence. He has the ability to beat you with his mind. He understands coverage, he understands the pressure and recognition.
“When you have a quarterback that can go out on the field and not only beat you with his arm talent but beat with you his mind, that’s next level.”
According to ESPN's Matt Miller, the Las Vegas Raiders are one of the teams that are interested in Michael Penix, with coach Antonio Pierce in the market for a new signal-caller.
The options that he has are Gardner Minshew II and Aidan O'Connell, and according to the report, Penix is an intriguing prospect for the Raiders coach.
