The Atlanta Falcons made a bold move by taking Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 pick in the 2024 NFL draft, but it appears to have paid off after one season. Penix gave the team life over the final three weeks while giving fans hope for the future of Atlanta’s offense.
However, we didn’t learn much about the rest of the team’s 2024 draft class. The Falcons traded up in the second round for defensive lineman Ruke Orhorhoro and he barely played last season.
Third-round pick Bralen Trice was placed on the injured reserve list during the preseason. Overall, the rookies just didn’t receive much playing time.
Fortunately for Atlanta, Penix showed enough promise to overshadow the shortcomings of the team’s 2024 class. NFL.com released its 2024 draft grades for all 32 teams and the Falcons landed in the bottom third of the league with a “C” grade:
It was hard to glean much from this group, as only one of Atlanta’s rookies ever entered the starting lineup. Shoot, only one even reached 200 offensive or defensive snaps on the season. But that one? Yeah, he was pretty intriguing. With Kirk Cousins starting the first 14 games, we didn’t see much of Michael Penix Jr. But the limited viewing certainly left me wanting more, especially following the dazzling display of arm talent in the season finale. — Gennaro Filice, NFL.com
The Falcons were ranked 23rd in NFL.com’s draft grades, but that’s not terrible considering how little the class played. Penix started just three games and did enough to help Atlanta earn a passing grade.
It just goes to show how important quarterbacks are in the NFL. If the Falcons are going to win next season, though, they’re going to need to give Penix a decent defense.
Perhaps we’ll see more out of players like Orhorhoro, Brandon Dorlus and JD Bertrand in 2025.