Marcel Reece Hoped Raiders Would Take QB Michael Penix Jr. In 2024 NFL Draft

Going into the 2024 NFL Draft it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the Las Vegas Raiders would select a quarterback at some point. The franchise was linked to both LSU’s Jayden Daniels and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. at different points, and the team had an obvious need at the position.

However the draft didn’t play out that way as Daniels was selected second overall by the Washington Commanders while the Atlanta Falcons shocked the football world by taking Penix with the eighth pick. And it was the latter selection that really bummed out former Raiders fullback Marcel Reece.

The four-time Pro Bowler recently spoke about this, saying that he really hoped Penix would become a member of the Raiders while praising the Falcons for selecting him, via Austin Boyd of Heavy.com:

“You have no idea how bad I wanted that,” Reece said on the May 14 episode of “Up and Adams.” “Atlanta made a fantastic choice taking Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 pick. He is going to be a fantastic leader for years and years to come. And a phenomenal quarterback. I have an unbelievable amount of confidence in that choice, no matter who he was throwing the ball to.”

By the time the Raiders were on the clock, five quarterbacks had been selected, so it simply wasn’t meant to be for the franchise. The front office did try to move up in the draft for Daniels but was unsuccessful, and the team was unwilling to do the same for Penix.

A First Team All-American and the 2023 Maxwell Award Winner, Penix had an outstanding college career, especially in the last two seasons. But there were a lot of questions about him coming into the draft, particularly due to his injury history.

But for Reece he was the right person to be the Raiders’ franchise quarterback, it simply wasn’t in the cards.

Raiders coach Antonio Pierce calls Brock Bowers ‘most dynamic’ tight end in a long time

When it was time for the Raiders to make their first-round selection in the NFL Draft, the team surprised many by taking Georgia tight end Brock Bowers, someone who most assumed would be off the board by then. And for Raiders coach Antonio Pierce, the team added an offensive weapon unlike any other.

Pierce called Bowers the ‘most dynamic player’ at the tight end position that college football has seen in a long time. The Raiders coach added that the combination of Bowers and last year’s second-round pick tight end Michael Mayer will combine to cause a lot of issues to opposing defenses.