Commanders news: Ben Johnson, Dan Quinn, Jacoby Brissett and Michael Penix Jr.

Commanders to keep an eye on Michael Penix Jr.

All eyes will be on the pre-draft assessment events as the Washington Commanders go in search of a franchise quarterback. Adam Peters' previous success as a talent evaluator provides confidence they'll find the right signal-caller. Just who that'll be is another matter.

Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels are generating the most hype at this early stage, and with good reason. But the team's senior writer Zach Selby stated that the Commanders' representatives will also have an eye on Michael Penix Jr. during the Reese's Senior Bowl festivities.

"Washington's Michael Penix Jr. should be at or near the top of everyone's list. The stats over the last two seasons also pass the eye test; he led all FBS schools in 2023 with 4,903 yards, and he completed at least 65% of his passes in both years with the Huskies. Penix still has to work through some of his throwing mechanics, which is part of the reason why he's ranked lower than [Caleb] Williams, [Drake] Maye and [Jayden] Daniels. Like many quarterbacks with big arms, he tends to rely on that too much, which leads to him lacking in footwork. He also tends to struggle under pressure with his PFF grade of 64.4 in such situations ranking 46th among quarterbacks. Like many quarterbacks, Penix will have some questions to answer, but the upside, plus a solid week of practice in Mobile, should help alleviate some of the concerns."

- Zach Selby, Commanders.com

Penix is a tremendous prospect. There are some concerns about his injury history, but he's got a good chance to showcase his outstanding athletic attributes in the coming weeks in pursuit of becoming a high-end first-round selection.

As for the Commanders? They'll do their due diligence, but it would be a bombshell if those in power went in this direction.