New York Jets
defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich got an up close and personal view at the Senior Bowl as the head coach of the national team.
He was asked at a media presser for his takeaways regarding one of the players he coached, Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.
“To see him get better every single day of practice, yeah he’s a special talent, he really is,” Ulbrich said. “He’s a guy that I don’t want to have to play against. I think he has a bright future in this league.”
One way to guarantee that Ulbrich would never have to play against Penix is if the Jets drafted him.
Michael Penix Jr. Took the College Football World by Storm in 2023
Penix, 23, appeared in all 15 games this past season for Washington taking the Huskies to the National Championship game.
He led college football in passing yards with 4,903. The next closest player was 395 passing yards away. Penix’s 36 passing touchdowns were the third-highest mark this past season of any player.
Jets DC Jeff Ulbrich talks about Michael Penix, Jr at the @seniorbowl ~ “He’s a guy that I don’t want to have to play against…” pic.twitter.com/UcQuNgi1yC
— MTMV Sports (@MTMVPN) February 3, 2024
The official Washington website listed all of Penix’s accolades this season:
Heisman Trophy Finalist
Maxwell Award Winner
Walter Camp Player of the Year Award Finalist
Davey O’Brien Award Finalist
Penix’s college football journey ended with a career year in every major passing category, but it certainly didn’t start that way. Before transferring to Washington, Penix spent the first seasons of his college career at Indiana.
“The Florida native Penix suffered significant injuries in each of his four seasons at Indiana — season-ending ACL injuries in 2018 (against Penn State) and 2020 and shoulder injuries that cut his 2019 and 2021 campaigns short,” according to Maria McIIwain of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Volatile Draft Stock Could Help Deliver Penix to the Jets
Draft analyst Dom C. joined me on “Boy Green Daily” on Monday, February 5, and explained that he doesn’t see the first round in Penix’s future because of his injury history and his age.
“Now I can see him maybe slipping a little bit lower. Somebody will probably pounce on him in the second round, to be honest. If he was there in the 70s, you gotta have that discussion [if you are the Jets],” Dom C. explained on the show.
The green and white has the No. 10 overall pick in the first round but that would be too rich for Penix. After that selection, the Jets don’t pick again until No. 72 overall in the third round.
NFL reporter Benjamin Allbright said on X (previously Twitter) that he thinks Penix is a “late day two pick” [third round]. That would put him in range for the Jets.
College Football insider Bruce Feldman explained on “The Rich Eisen Show” that he has heard there is a chance Penix could go undrafted because of some of the concerns NFL teams have about him.
We all watched #Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. ball out this season but is there really a chance he could go undrafted?@BruceFeldmanCFB explained what concerns could pop up before the #NFLDraft: pic.twitter.com/Eu6p0elii5
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) January 24, 2024
We all watched #Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. ball out this season but is there really a chance he could go undrafted?
@BruceFeldmanCFB explained what concerns could pop up before the #NFLDraft:
The only two quarterbacks that are under contract next season for Gang Green are Aaron Rodgers and Zach Wilson. The Jets are expected to move on from Wilson which would only leave a 40-year-old QB on the Jets in 2024.
