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Brady Henderson, ESPN
SEATTLE — On his remaining throw Thursday, Michael Penix Jr. put a bow on his efficiency on the College of Washington professional day by unleashing a deep ball that traveled some 75 yards within the air for a completion, exhibiting off the arm expertise that has made him one of many prime quarterback prospects on this yr’s draft.
What occurred at first of the exercise might need truly been extra vital.
That is when Penix posted a sub-4.6-second time within the 40-yard sprint, maybe checking off an vital field to the roughly 100 representatives from NFL groups available to observe him and several other different Huskies who’re anticipated to be chosen subsequent month.
In accordance with ESPN’s Discipline Yates, a handful of scouts clocked Penix’s lone run at 4.56 to 4.59.
“I am a 4.4 man, for my part,” Penix, the runner-up for the final season’s Heisman Trophy, stated afterward. “Some folks had 4.46, some folks had 4.5, however that is unofficial, so I am good. I simply confirmed I can run, so I really feel good.”
Penix’s velocity has been one thing of a query mark after he ran for all of 8 yards on 35 makes an attempt over 15 video games final season. He ran for 92 yards in 13 video games in 2022 after his first 4 school seasons, all at Indiana, had been reduce brief by accidents, together with a pair of torn ACLs.
Like a number of different quarterbacks, Penix declined to run the 40 on the scouting mix final month. He ran solely as soon as Thursday, opting towards a second try.
“I used to be solely operating one time to indicate I can run and that is it,” he stated. “I used to be completed.”
Penix additionally posted a 36.5-inch vertical soar and a broad soar of 10 toes, 5 inches — each of which had been higher than some other quarterback on the mix.
Penix, who has been extensively projected to be drafted throughout the first two rounds, was requested whether or not he has been irritated by the speak about his athleticism.
“I ain’t irritated,” Penix stated. “I simply all the time wish to show myself proper. The competitor in me, I will present it, I will showcase it, I will write my very own narrative.”
Penix’s 67 landing passes over the previous two seasons had been the fourth most within the nation. He threw 36 TDs final yr whereas main the Huskies to the nationwide championship sport, which they misplaced to Michigan.
After his deep heave to finish Thursday’s exercise, Penix punctuated the completion along with his go-to celebration, pretending to tug an arrow out of a quiver earlier than launching it into the sky after which dropping the bow.
He was glad along with his throwing session, save for a number of misfires.
“I do not like lacking throws,” he stated. “I missed like three throws, however I felt good, although. I felt good. Lacking three throws out of 60, I can not complain.”
Afterward, Penix was seen chatting with New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll and normal supervisor Joe Schoen. Penix instructed ESPN that he has pre-draft visits scheduled with the Giants, Atlanta Falcons, Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers starting subsequent week.
Large receiver Rome Odunze didn’t work out Thursday, opting as a substitute to face on his efficiency on the mix. Odunze, projected to be drafted early within the first spherical, instructed ESPN that the Giants flew him to East Rutherford, New Jersey, after the mix and that he has visits lined up with the Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets and Chicago Bears.