28. Michael Penix Jr, Atlanta Falcons
Michael Penix Jr got some action for the Atlanta Falcons near the end of the 2024 NFL Season, but there is a ton of unknown with Penix at this point. He was drafted into a decent situation and did get to sit back and watch Kirk Cousins when he was initially playing well with the Falcons in 2024.
Penix has weapons like Bijan Robinson, Darnell Mooney, and Drake London at his disposal, so he's got a ton of people to throw the ball to, and he also gets to play in a dome, which is surely going to help. Fortunately, the Falcons are in the NFC South, one of the NFL's weakest divisions, so there is a path for this team to make the postseason in 2025, but it's going to take a sizeable year two leap from their first-round pick in 2024.
27. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young did seem to show something worthwhile near the end of the 2024 NFL Season, so perhaps the Carolina Panthers are building something special here. Head coach Dave Canales worked his magic with Geno Smith in 2022 and Baker Mayfield in 2023, so perhaps we'll see Young hit his stride in the 2025 NFL Season. If he doesn't, the Panthers might have to start fresh at the position, as the regime that drafted Bryce Young isn't there anymore, so there really isn't much of a reason for GM Dan Morgan to stick with the young QB if he doesn't pan out the way they hope in the 2025 NFL Season.
Bryce Young is 27th in our QB power rankings but could absolutely rise into the teens if he shows some consistency in what could be the most urgent and crucial season of his entire football career, but he's still largely unproven.