5 early contenders to be the Seattle Seahawks first-round pick in 2024
By Lee Vowell
Seahawks first-round pick contender No. 1
Michael Penix, Jr., QB - Washington
I am not sure the Seahawks choose a quarterback in the first round unless they somehow end up with two first-rounders by working a trade or three. Seattle has more pressing needs than quarterback, no matter what some people think of Geno Smith (or Drew Lock). While Seattle choosing a quarterback at some point makes sense as Smith is under contract but Lock is not currently, that could be in the third round or after.
Michael Penix also could go nearly anywhere except in the top two. He has an electric arm with excellent accuracy and he can run around a bit when needed. But as great as he was overall, in his final four games of this season he threw for 6 touchdowns but 4 interceptions and completed. And in his last five games, he completed just 60.3 percent of his passes compared to 65.4 percent for the year overall.
Penix also had a history of injuries at Indiana before he transferred to Washington. At Washington, he rarely got hit as his offensive line was terrific. He won't have equal blocking in the NFL.
Penix's arm talent, however, could move him into the top ten of the draft. Or he could fall into the second round. On ESPN's Mel Kiper's latest quarterback rankings for the 2024 draft, Penix is fourth and Penix is 15th overall.