NFL GMs view 1 QB as ‘best kept secret’ in draft

Feb 1, 2022; Inglewood, CA, USA; The NFL shield logo is seen at midfield at SoFi Stadium. Super Bowl LVI between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals will be played on Feb. 13, 2022. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

As many as six quarterbacks are expected to be chosen in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday, and there is reportedly a belief among executives that at least one of them will be a steal.

Former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel, who now works as an analyst for NFL Network, shared a video over the weekend in which he explained why he believes Penix has all the makings of an elite player at the professional level. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, that feeling is shared among many NFL general managers.

Russini said Monday that Penix is “the name GMs have told me is the best kept secret in this draft.”

He is the name GMs have told me is the best kept secret in this draft. https://t.co/FJQCZGQeEK

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) April 22, 2024

Most mock drafts have Penix coming off the board somewhere in the middle of the first round. The consensus seems to be that Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and JJ McCarthy will all be drafted before the former Washington star.

Penix threw for a combined 9,544 yards, 67 touchdowns and 19 interceptions over the past two seasons at Washington. He also impressed scouts with more than just his throwing ability at his pro day last month.

Daniel is not the only NFL analyst who is extremely high on Penix. If GMs and executives feel similarly, it is possible a team could make a surprise move up the board for Penix during the first round on Thursday.