NY Jets fans are begging for Michael Penix Jr. after stellar Sugar Bowl performance

NY Jets fans have been starved for competent quarterback play for the better part of the last two-plus decades. That's why it should come as little surprise that many Jets fans tuning in to watch Washington take on Texas in the 2024 Sugar Bowl on Monday immediately fell in love with Michael Penix Jr. and his game.

Jets fans have seen their team run through failed young quarterback after failed young quarterback over the years. Even with Aaron Rodgers returning as the starter in 2024, some fans still have their eye on the future at the position.

The 2024 NFL Draft will present the Jets with an opportunity to select their quarterback of the future to develop behind Rodgers for a year or two. Penix is toward the top of potential options the Jets could consider.

Following his stellar performance against Texas in the College Football Playoff semifinals on Monday, many Jets fans are already sold on the former Indiana QB as their preferred target in the draft.

NY Jets fans are falling in love with Michael Penix Jr.

Penix helped lead his Washington team to a thrilling 37-31 victory over Texas this past Monday on the back of a 29-of-38 performance, throwing for a whopping 430 yards and two touchdowns. For many who haven't followed college football closely this season, it was his introduction to a national audience.

The upside with Penix is obvious. At 6-foot-3, 213 pounds, Penix has an NFL-ready arm with excellent deep-ball accuracy and an aggressive mindset. He's always looking to take shots downfield, and that's often when he's at his most dangerous.

If scouting reports were solely based on what players have done on the field this season, Penix would be in the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick. There are other factors at play, however.

Penix will turn 24 years old in May and has already torn the same ACL twice, dating back to his time at Indiana. His tenure with the Hoosiers was plagued by injuries and inconsistency, giving NFL teams multiple red flags to consider.

As for the Jets, it's hard to imagine the team using their first-round pick on a quarterback in this year's draft. The Jets already made the mistake of using their 2023 draft capital on picks for the future — they can ill afford to do it again in what could be the final year of the Rodgers window.

The Jets aren't going to use a potential top-10 pick on a quarterback to sit behind Rodgers when they can maximize their current window for success with a player who can contribute in 2024.

That makes it extremely unlikely that Penix ends up with the Jets, given that many assume he will end up a first-round pick come April.

It's fun for Jets fans to dream about the top quarterback prospects in what appears to be a talented draft class, but don't expect Michael Penix Jr. or any of those QBs to be selected by the Jets this spring.