DETROIT, Mich. — For the third year in a row, the Atlanta Falcons have the eighth overall pick in the NFL Draft.
So who did they draft as their first-round pick? University of Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is the newest Falcon.
He played four seasons with the Indiana Hoosiers from 2018 to 2021 before transferring to Washington in 2022.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
The Falcons signed now-former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins last month.
Channel 2 Sports Director Zach Klein says team owner Arthur Blank wanted a succession plan to Cousins.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank wanted a succession plan to Kirk Cousins - They are win now mode and don't plan on drafting in the top-20 anytime soon .
— Zach Klein (@ZachKleinWSB) April 26, 2024
They get 5 years of control with Penix and he'll learn from one of the best in the business.
Penix, a 6-foot-2 senior at Washington grew up in Tampa, Florida.
After the NFL Combine, Turner was projected to go in the first round.
Channel 2 Sports Anchor Alison Mastrangelo is in Detroit for the 2024 NFL Draft to catch up with the Falcons joining the roster and to find out where some metro Atlanta players end up.
The 2024 NFL Draft runs through April 27. All seven rounds over the course of three days will air live on Channel 2.
Get the latest details on all of the Falcons’ draft picks on WSBTV.com and Channel 2 Action News.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
IN RELATED NEWS:
©2023 Cox Media Group
