How did Michael Penix Jr. compare to other first-round QBs in debut?

The 2024 NFL Draft was stacked at the quarterback position. You had the consensus number-one pick in Caleb Williams, a breakout star in Jayden Daniels, a talented Drake Maye, and many others.

Of course, among the others was Washington's Michael Penix Jr. who was surprisingly selected by the Atlanta Falcons. The talented lefty has already garnered a lot of excitement but will have to wait his turn with Kirk Cousins being the starter.

This past weekend, Penix and his fellow first-rounders made their debuts in the preseason. Each one showed why they were worthy of a coveted first-round pick. Let's compare how the Falcons talented passer played compared to his counterparts.

Michael Penix Jr.'s debut compared to rest of first-round quarterbacks

Caleb Williams, Bears (No. 1 pick):

• 4/7 (57.4%)
• 95 pass yards (42 long)
• 0 TD
• 0 INT
• 101.8 passer rating

Caleb Williams came out with limited action but showed why he was the first pick. He made a great off-platform throw that has Bears fans excited. However, he had the most help around him with D'Andre Swift, D.J. Moore, Rome Oduze, and Cole Kmet. His long of 42 came on an explosive screen catch and run by Swift.

Jayden Daniels, Commanders (No. 2 pick):

• 2/3 (66.7%)
• 45 pass yards (42 long)
• 0 TD (1 rush TD)
• 0 INT
• 109.7 passer rating

Like Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels showed why he was a high draft pick. He did exactly what the Commanders drafted him to do: be efficient through the air and make an impact on the ground. He partially underthrew a deep pass but it was still an impressive throw and catch. He finished his day with a rushing touchdown after a drive with Austin Ekeler, Terry McLaurin, and Dyami Brown on the field.

Drake Maye, Patriots (No. 3 pick):

• 2/3 (66.7%)
• 19 pass yards (13 long)
• 0 TD
• 0 INT
• 84 passer rating

With the least amount of action among the first-round quarterbacks, Drake Maye didn't have much of an opportunity to show his raw talent.

Michael Penix Jr., Falcons (No. 8 pick):

• 9/16 (56.3%)
• 104 pass yards (41 long)
• 0 TD
• 0 INT
• 76 passer rating

The Atlanta Falcons wanted to see what Michael Penix Jr. could do out on the field as they gave him ample opportunity to show his talents. For the most part, he did a great job, especially when he hit Chris Blair on a deep throw down the sideline. He did miss a couple of passes he shouldn't have but he was playing with backup offensive linemen and playmakers.

J.J. McCarthy, Vikings (No. 10 pick):

• 11/17 (64.7%)
• 188 pass yards (45 long)
• 2 TD
• 1 INT
• 116.8 passer rating

J.J. McCarthy and Michael Penix Jr. were the two most impressive players. McCarthy got the most action as he threw for nearly 200 yards and two touchdowns. While he threw an interception right to the defender on his third pass, he finished with a flurry including a deep pass for a touchdown. Unlike Penix, McCarthy had stud WR Jordan Addison on the field part of the time.

Bo Nix, Broncos (No. 12 pick):

• 15/21 (71%)
• 125 pass yards (22 long)
• 1 TD
• 0 INT
• 102.3 passer rating

Bo Nix had to wait until Sunday to get his career started and he immediately impressed. While he started cold, he quickly found his groove making a couple of unique throws. While he threw for that touchdown, he lobbed a ball into the endzone that should have been intercepted later on. Nonetheless, he was quite impressive considering he was the final first-round quarterback. Much like Williams, he did benefit from playing with Courtland Sutton and Marvin Mims.

Also Read: Falcons must sign former All-Pro safety from the Broncos following injury

Which first-round QB had the best debut in 2024?

By no fault of his own, Drake Maye ranks last in debut performance. He hardly had the the opportuntiy to prove himself so we will have to wait to see more from him. From there Jayden Daniels ranks just behind Caleb Williams because, while he had a deep pass, it wasn't a perfect throw. Williams showed his talents by throwing off-platform a couple of times.

Bo Nix's performance was nothing to sneeze at. He did what he was supposed to in Sean Payton's offense. However, you would like to see production down the field. He sits just below the next two players.

When it comes to the best debut, context is key. While McCarthy had excellent stats, he benefitted from better talent around him and threw an ugly interception. Penix's best option was a late-round rookie receiver playing in his first game. Nevertheless, the Vikings QB still showed a lot to be excited about. Ultimately, it is a tie between the eighth and tenth picks in the 2024 NFL Draft.

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