HOUSTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 8: Michael Penix Jr. #9 of the Washington Huskies warms up prior to the CFP National Championship game at NRG Stadium on January 8, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by CFP/Getty Images)
It's official – Michael Penix Jr. is coming to Atlanta. The Falcons chose the Washington quarterback with the eighth overall pick of the NFL Draft Thursday night in Detroit.
In an interview with FOX 5's Kelly Price, Penix said, "We want to win. We're going to find ways to win. I look forward to winning a championship. I feel like that's what it's all about. I feel like there's definitely something special going on over there in Atlanta."
Penix also said he didn't know the Falcons were targeting him at No. 8, but he's excited for the opportunity to work with and learn from Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins. Last month, the Falcons signed Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed.
Penix, who will be 24 as a rookie, led FBS schools with 4,903 passing yards and was third with 36 touchdown passes. He won the Maxwell Award as the nation’s top player. Penix threw for 255 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions as No. 2 Washington fell to top-ranked Michigan 34-13 in the College Football Playoff championship game. Penix began his college career at Indiana, where he tore his right ACL in 2018 and 2020 and had shoulder injuries in both 2019 and 2021.
This is the third consecutive year the Falcons have had the No. 8 overall draft pick. They selected running back Bijan Robinson last year and wide receiver Drake London in 2022 with the No. 8 pick after taking tight end Kyle Pitts No. 4 overall in 2021.
Before a record-breaking Day One NFL Draft crowd of more than 275,000 fans in Detroit, two Georgia players would go on to be chosen. The Las Vegas Raiders picked Georgia tight end Brock Bowers with the 13th overall pick. The Cincinnati Bengals selected Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims with the 18th overall pick.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 29: Michael Penix Jr. of the Washington Huskies poses for portraits at the Indiana Convention Center on February 29, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)
Live blog on NFL Draft and Falcons' picks
11:52 p.m.: With the 32nd overall pick, the Carolina Panthers choose South Carolina WR Xavier Legette.
11:48 p.m.: The Carolina Panthers trade up to the No. 32 pick with the Buffalo Bills.
11:47 p.m.: With the 31st overall pick, the San Francisco 49ers select Florida WR Ricky Pearsall.
11:39 p.m.: With the 30th overall pick, the Baltimore Ravens choose Clemson DB Nate Wiggins.
11:35 p.m.: With the 29th overall pick, the Dallas Cowboys pick Oklahoma OT Tyler Guyton.
11:30 p.m.: With the 28th overall pick, the Kansas City Chiefs select Texas WR Xavier Worthy.
11:24 p.m.: The Kansas City Chiefs trade up to the No. 28 pick with the Buffalo Bills.
11:21 p.m.: With the 27th overall pick, the Arizona Cardinals choose Missouri DT Darius Robinson.
11:19 p.m.: With the 26th overall pick, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Duke center Graham Barton.
11:11 p.m.: With the 25th overall pick, the Green Bay Packers choose Arizona OT Jordan Morgan.
11:05 p.m.: In the 24th overall pick, the Detroit Lions pick Alabama DB Terrion Arnold.
11:00 p.m.: In the third trade of the night, the Detroit Lions trade up to No. 24 with the Dallas Cowboys.
10:53 p.m.: With the 23rd overall pick, the Jacksonville Jaguars select LSU WR Brian Thomas Jr.
10:47 p.m.: With the 22nd overall pick, the Philadelphia Eagles pick Toledo DB Quinyon Mitchell.
10:39 p.m.: With the 21st overall pick, the Miami Dolphins select Penn State LB Chop Robinson.
10:32 p.m.: With the 20th overall pick, the Pittsburgh Steelers choose Washington OT Troy Fautanu.
10:24 p.m.: With the 19th overall pick, the LA Rams select Florida State DE Jared Verse.
10:17 p.m.: With the 18th overall pick, the Cincinnati Bengals choose Georgia OT Amarius Mims.
10:07 p.m.: With the 17th overall pick, the Minnesota Vikings pick Alabama LB Dallas Turner.
10:05 p.m.: In the second trade of the evening, the Minnesota Vikings trade up to no. 17 from no. 23 with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
10:04 p.m.: With the 16th overall pick, the Seattle Seahawks select Texas DT Byron Murphy II.
9:53 p.m.: With the 15th overall pick, the Indianapolis Colts choose UCLA edge Laiatu Latu.
9:47 p.m.: With the 14th overall pick, the New Orleans Saints select Oregon State OT Taliese Fuaga.
9:38 p.m.: With the 13th overall pick, the Las Vegas Raiders choose Georgia TE Brock Bowers.
9:33 p.m.: With the 12th overall pick, the Denver Broncos select Oregon QB Bo Nix.
9:27 p.m.: With the 11th overall pick, the New York Jets choose Penn State OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu.
9:21 p.m.: With the 10th overall pick, the Minnesota Vikings select Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy. The Vikings traded up with the NY Jets to select McCarthy.
9:12 p.m.: In the first trade of the NFL Draft, the New York Jets receive picks 11, 129 overall, and 157 overall for 10 and 203 to the Minnesota Vikings.
9:12 pm.: With the ninth overall pick, the Chicago Bears select Washington WR Rome Odunze.
9:08 p.m.: With the eighth overall pick, the Atlanta Falcons pick Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.
9:00 p.m.: With the seventh overall pick, the Tennessee Titans select Alabama OT JC Latham.
8:53 p.m.: With the sixth overall pick, the New York Giants choose LSU WR Malik Nabers.
8:48 p.m.: With the fifth overall pick, the Los Angeles Chargers select Notre Dame OT Joe Alt.
8:39 p.m.: With the fourth overall pick, the Arizona Cardinals choose Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
8:33 p.m.: With the third overall pick, the New England Patriots select North Carolina QB Drake Maye.
8:28 p.m.: With the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Washington Commanders select LSU QB and reigning Heisman winner Jayden Daniels.
8:20 p.m.: With their first overall pick, the Chicago Bears select USC QB Caleb Williams.
8:12 p.m.: The Chicago Bears are officially on the clock for first pick in the NFL Draft.
8 p.m.: 2024 NFL Draft kicks off in Detroit
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Who will be the Falcons' first pick?
The Falcons have eight picks in this year’s draft, including two in the third round and two in the sixth round. The team could focus on defense at the top of the draft and could address a pressing need by selecting an edge rusher such as Alabama’s Dallas Turner in the first round.
The Falcons ranked close to the middle of the NFL team leaders with 42 sacks in 2023. It was a dramatic jump from 2022, when they had only 21, and 2021, when they were last with 18. Atlanta hasn’t had a player with as many as 10 sacks since 2016, when Vic Beasley had 15 1/2.
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Terry Fontenot, Falcons prepare for 2024 NFL Draft
The NFL Draft is just days away, and the Falcons' needs may align with Terry Fontenot's "best player available" philosophy, but there are a lot of enticing options in front of this front office this April. Miles Garrett reports from Flowery Branch.
Falcons round-by-round pick breakdown
- Round 1, Pick 8
- Round 2, Pick 43
- Round 3, Pick 74
- Round 3, Pick 79 (from JAX)
- Round 4, Pick 109
- Round 5, Pick 143
- Round 6, Pick 187
- Round 6, Pick 197 (via CLE)
When is the first pick announced?
Only picks for the first round of the NFL Draft will be announced during the first day in Detroit.
They begin at 8 p.m. ET. Each team gets 10 minutes to make their pick.
What is the first round draft order?
- Chicago Bears
- Washington Commanders
- New England Patriots
- Arizona Cardinals
- Los Angeles Chargers
- New York Giants
- Tennessee Titans
- Atlanta Falcons
- Chicago Bears
- New York Jets
- Minnesota Vikings
- Denver Broncos
- Oakland Raiders
- New Orleans Saints
- Indianapolis Colts
- Seattle Seahawks
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Los Angeles Rams
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Miami Dolphins
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Minnesota Vikings
- Dallas Cowboys
- Green Bay Packers
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Arizona Cardinals
- Buffalo Bills
- Detroit Lions
- Baltimore Ravens
- San Francisco 49ers
- Kansas City Chiefs
The Associated Press contributed to this report.