Last year, the Atlanta Falcons made one of the most surprising picks in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. Despite having holes on defense and a new $180 million quarterback, the Falcons stunned the league by drafting Washington standout Michael Penix Jr.

The team was heavily criticized for the pick at the time, but that was mostly due to Kirk Cousins’ contract. The Falcons had the long-term sense to select the player they felt most comfortable with in Penix. One year later, everyone seems to be on board with the decision.

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Atlanta benched Cousins for poor performance and went with the rookie for the final three games of the 2024 season. Right away, Penix looked comfortable, consistently showing flashes of brilliance against the Giants, Commanders and Panthers.

Pro Football Focus is predicting big things for the second-year QB next season. Penix was named one of PFF’s 32 breakout candidates for 2025:

Penix only started three games across five appearances as a rookie, totaling just 114 dropbacks, but there’s a lot of encouragement to take from that small sample size, as he also finished with an 87.6 passing grade, a 9.0% big-time-throw rate and a 1.7% turnover-worthy-play rate, which all ranked top-five among quarterbacks with at least 100 dropbacks in 2024. The Falcons offense has the weapons in place for Penix to keep his encouraging play going across an entire season as he officially steps into a full-time starting role for the first time in his NFL career. — Jonathon Macri, PFF

The Falcons offense has an elite core with playmakers on the outside, two starting-caliber running backs and one of the better offensive lines in the game. However, the team has regressed at center after losing Drew Dalman to the Bears in free agency.

Atlanta is hoping Ryan Neuzil can fill the void at center this season. He played well enough while filling in for Dalman last year to warrant an opportunity. Aside from the change at center, Penix is in a great spot for a young quarterback.

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The fact that he’s coming into the season as the clear-cut starter instead of an awkward backup situation bodes well for both Penix and the team in 2025.

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This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons’ Michael Penix Jr. named breakout candidate for 2025 season