Joel Klatt identifies what Michael Penix Jr. does better than any other quarterback in the NFL Draft

Michael Penix Jr. is in the mix of quarterbacks after the top few in the 2024 NFL Draft. However, to Joel Klatt, he has one skill that is second to none compared to others at his position.

Klatt made these statements on Penix Jr. as a prospect during an episode of his show on Monday. He has been doing so for Penix Jr. for some time as a player, though, considering how he viewed him coming into this past season with the Huskies.

“Here’s a guy that I kind of planted a flag on even before the college football season,” Klatt said. “If you’ve been listening since then, you will remember that, before the college football season, I said Washington was my dark horse pick overall and Michael Penix was a big reason why – my dark horse Heisman candidate and a guy that I just thought a lot of, even before the season. Then he went on to have what I can only categorize as an exceptional season in college football in what he did leading Washington to the point that they were playing for a national championship against Michigan.”

Penix Jr. has a remarkable amount of arm talent that he put on display in college, especially in Seattle. He threw for 9,544 yards and 67 touchdowns on 65.4% completion the last pair of seasons with Washington. That helped the team to go 25-3, post two top-tier offenses, and play for a national title back in January.

Everything that he showed with his arm and in command of his offense separate him for Klatt. They differentiate him from just about anyone and everyone at quarterback in this draft to him.

“What I love about Michael Penix, though, is that there’s nothing that I have to imagine with him, right? There’s no projection into the NFL because I got to see exactly what he is going to be required to do at the next level when he was at Washington,” said Klatt. “Control the game from the pocket. Pass the football – I didn’t say throw. Pass the football down the field and he did it with ease.”

“This is a guy that controls the game from the pocket, I think, better than any of the quarterbacks in this draft. Maybe even better than Caleb Williams and you know exactly how I feel about Caleb Williams,” stated Klatt. “His ability to sit there in a full-field read and attack the deep zones, seams, and areas of the field with accuracy and leverage is uncanny. His timing is terrific, his ability to throw the ball with proper leverage so that he’s increasing the odds of a catch for his man over the defender is exquisite.”

Still, health concerns as one of the older quarterbacks could hold him back from being an even higher selection. Klatt just hopes no one falls too far into that considering how he stayed on the field while a Husky.

“I think the only reason there’s some questions about him? It might be his age but it’s, more specifically, his injuries. He was very injury-prone until the last couple of years. But, remember now, you’ve got to step away from that, take a more 30,000-foot view,” Klatt said. “Think to yourself, ‘Okay, he has stood in the pocket two straight years on a team that was completely reliant on him throwing the football. He has made every start in those two years and just led them to the national championship game’. So, at some point, you’ve got to say to yourself that he’s over the injury concerns.”

Penix Jr. will be among several quarterbacks who will hear their name fairly early on in Detroit later this month. Klatt is ready to hear it too as Penix Jr. has his approval as a player in this draft.

“I love Michael Penix,” Klatt said.

“Love his game, love his game,” said Klatt. “That’s another Top-15 pick and he is a Joel Klatt Show flag-man.”