The first round of the 2024 NFL Draft unfolded with a relatively few surprises on Thursday until the Atlanta Falcons made a stunning pick at No. 8, selecting Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The Falcons were not considered a team at quarterback. market at this point in the draft after signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year deal in free agency worth up to $180 million. Cousins’ deal is loaded with guaranteed money over the first two years, meaning Penix will likely spend at least that long, and possibly longer, on the bench.
Not only does this potentially shorten Cousins’ stay in Atlanta, but it also takes away the opportunity to add a premium player for what the Falcons hope will be a multi-year playoff window. It’s a move that surprised many, including Cousins himself, so be sure to see what the CBS Sports HQ team had to say about it.
CBS Sports HQ is a 24/7 streaming sports network that provides news, highlights and analysis, easily accessible for free on connected devices. HQ has been analyzing the NFL Draft for months and has a comprehensive breakdown of every major storyline, including reaction to the Falcons’ pick of Penix.
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Pete Prisco is the lead NFL columnist on CBSSports.com and a regular NFL analyst for CBS Sports HQ’s NFL and NFL Draft coverage. Prisco is known for its instant first round scores which can be viewed on site and at headquarters. Prisco joined Ryan Wilson Thursday night shortly after Penix’s pick and gave his reaction and rating.
Pete Prisco rates Falcons’ Michael Penix Jr. pick
“I give him a B-,” Prisco told HQ. “You know, I like this player. I think he has all the skills to be a good starting quarterback in this league. But it doesn’t make sense to me from that standpoint. You have Kirk Cousins , you paid Kirk Cousins.
“I know they have two years out on him, which means he’ll have to sit for two years behind Kirk Cousins and then play. I don’t like this pick for the Falcons. Good player, bad situation. Don I don’t like it.” See the full reaction here.
Best storylines, news and records from Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft
Penix was part of a historic race at quarterback Thursday. With six quarterbacks taken off the board in the first round – Penix, Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, JJ McCarthy and Bo Nix – this first round tied the record set in 1983 for the most QBs going off the board. in a single turn. It was also the most (5) to go in the top 10 of any NFL draft.
The starting defensive end didn’t come off the board until 15th overall, leaving intriguing names such as defensive back Cooper DeJean, defensive lineman Johnny Newton and cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry still on the board before the second round on Friday. Some big-name receivers such as Adonai Mitchell, Ladd McConkey and Troy Franklin also remain.
Although there were no significant trades involving veterans on Thursday, that could change on Friday. After the Niners took wide receiver Ricky Pearsall in the first round, rumors are swirling that Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel could be on the move, so that’s a Friday NFL Draft storyline that CBS HQ will discuss. Get NFL Draft analysis on CBS Sports HQ.
So what are the biggest storylines going into day two of the 2024 NFL Draft, and which teams will dominate their picks? Visit CBS Sports HQ now to get analysis of the 2024 NFL Draft, all from a team of proven NFL experts who have their finger on the pulse of the NFL Draft, and find out.
