NFL Draft Notes: Michael Penix, Drake Maye, Spencer Rattler, Bo Nix

NFL Draft

• Jeff Howe of The Athletic, citing sources at the Senior Bowl, reports South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler had the best “set of practices” throughout the week, but Oregon QB Bo Nix improved “quite a bit by the final practice.”
• Per ESPN’s Matt Miller, one NFC QB coach compared North Carolina QB Drake Maye to a litany of elite quarterbacks: “He’s Josh Allen, Justin Herbert … and I think his arm is comparable to C.J. Stroud.”
• Three NFL scouts Miller talked to rated LSU WR Malik Nabers ahead of Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
• Miller says the team sources he talked to raved about how Nix interviewed at the Senior Bowl and insisted he will be drafted higher than people think right now. 
• Some sources pointed out to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Pete Thamel the lack of surefire prospects in next year’s quarterback group could push up players this year: “Smart teams look ahead to next year’s class to assess this year’s decision.”
• Fowler and Thamel mention Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell likely cemented himself as a first-round prospect with his performance at the Senior Bowl. An area scout said: “He was the best player on the field on Tuesday. That’s not a hot take. That’s reality.”

Michael Penix

Washington QB Michael Penix has one of the most unique journeys for a quarterback prospect we’ve seen in a minute, going from four season-ending injuries in four years at Indiana — two torn ACLs and two separated shoulders — to two standout seasons at Washington culminating in a national title appearance. Penix acknowledged the injuries forced him to confront his football mortality and he nearly hung up the cleats. 

“I didn’t want to give it up,” he said via the Athletic’s Bruce Feldman, “but obviously going through what I was going through, it was hard. But I couldn’t give up because I have so many people depending on me and looking up to me. So, if I can play, I was gonna play. Unless the doctor said I couldn’t.”

Former NFL QB Brock Huard, who has covered Penix and works for ESPN in Seattle, says while some NFL teams might question Penix’s commitment to football, his experiences battling through adversity should be seen as nothing less than a massive positive. 

“You could have two GMs and two organizations who will see this very differently,” Huard said. “There will be some that will be turned off by that and that will use the medicals as the reason for that, and there will be others that will be absolutely thankful for that grit and that experience.

• The Athletic’s Dane Brugler notes he’s received feedback from scouts varying from a third-round grade and not on their draft board to a top-50 prospect. 
• A source told Feldman Penix should be good from a medical perspective following a recent meeting with his doctor: “His medicals are going to clear.”