How real is the perceived interest the Minnesota Vikings have in Michael Penix Jr.?
Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz reported last week that Penix had a private workout with the Vikings following his March 28 pro day, and Schultz is now reporting that Minnesota “flew out their whole staff” for the private workout in Seattle.
Is flying an entire staff to a different city for a private workout a normal pre-draft maneuver? For teams in need of a quarterback, it’s certainly not unusual.
For quarterback Jayden Daniels’ pro day at LSU, the Patriots sent nine staff members, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, who noted that New England’s staff then traveled to Chapel Hill, N.C. for quarterback Drake Maye’s pro day the next day. The Patriots own the third pick in the draft and if they keep the pick they could select Daniels or Maye.
If the Vikings can’t trade up with a team like the Patriots, they might be in a position where they have to take Penix or another quarterback with the 11th or 23rd pick in the first round. It’s the exact scenario Alec Lewis of The Athletic has playing out in his latest mock draft.
“Some might perceive drafting him at No. 23 as a bit early, but as we stated earlier, this is under the presumption that O’Connell would be identifying Penix as his priority in the event the Vikings cannot trade up,” Lewis wrote.
As Purple Insider’s Matthew Coller explained to Bring Me The Sports earlier this week, Penix would be a terrific consolation prize for the Vikings if they can’t move up to get Daniels, Maye or J.J. McCarthy.
“If the Vikings can’t trade up and miss out on the top four, Penix Jr. is a heck of a consolation prize,” Coller said. “He has a ridiculous arm and led college football in passing. He took his team to a place they rarely go in the national championship and he’s a natural born leader. You could see him dropping deep shots to [Justin Jefferson] for a long time”
The #Vikings flew out their whole staff for a private workout with Michael Penix Jr. in Seattle, including HC Kevin O’Connell and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, sources say.
I’m told Penix has a top 30 with the #Raiders today, who currently hold the 13th pick in the draft. https://t.co/mZVUcG9zpr pic.twitter.com/ulR1Czgl4W
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) April 4, 2024
Penix threw for 4,903 yards with 36 touchdowns and 11 interceptions this past season and Washington to the national title game where they fell short to Michigan and McCarthy.
