The final ESPN Mel Kiper Jr. 2024 NFL Draft big board has questions about Michael Penix Jr.'s health

Apr 28, 2011; New York, NY, USA; ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr during the 2011 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

We’re at the finish line of the 2024 NFL Draft season, with final mocks and a look at big boards from the experts.

That includes the final big board from ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., who ranked a whole bunch of prospects, including the notable quarterbacks. He’s got QBs Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels at Nos. 1 and 2 and Drake Maye sixth overall. As for a sleeper like Michael Penix Jr., who our Christian D’Andrea pegged as a second-rounder in his latest 2024 mock draft?

Kiper has him 24th overall, with concerns about his health that go along with what he sees as A LOT of talent:

If you didn’t watch every game from Penix and the Huskies the past two seasons, you missed out. They had one of college football’s best offenses of the past decade, and Penix was the catalyst. He completed 65.4% of his passes in 2023, with 36 touchdown passes and 11 picks. He absolutely benefited from having an elite wide receiver corps — Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan and Ja’Lynn Polk all could go in the first three rounds this weekend — but when you study the tape, you see he has the arm talent, accuracy to all levels, decision-making and toughness to become a successful starting QB in the NFL.

The big question with the Indiana transfer going into the season: Could he stay healthy in back-to-back seasons? The left-handed thrower struggled with shoulder and knee injuries over his four years for the Hoosiers, though he was impressive when he was on the field. His offensive line certainly helped him stay clean over the past two seasons, as he was sacked just 16 times. Penix, who will be 24 years old when he takes his first NFL snap, leveled up as a deep-ball passer in 2023 — he had 46 completions on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield, which ranked first in in the FBS.

There you have it! Make sure to check out our latest 2024 NFL mock draft from Christian D’Andrea, along with his big board with the best fits for prospects.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: The final ESPN Mel Kiper Jr. 2024 NFL Draft big board has questions about Michael Penix Jr.’s health