Bucky Brooks of the NFL Network weighs in on Michael Penix Jr., a potential Denver Broncos quarterback target. What Brooks has recommended could surprise Broncos fans.

Brooks believes Penix’s ceiling is only as high as the 13th overall pick. The Las Vegas Raiders presently have that selection. Brooks writes.

The deep-ball specialist has superb arm talent and instincts as a pocket passer. Penix carves up coverage with surgical precision, displaying pinpoint accuracy and ball placement on vertical throws. With Penix’s highlight reel loaded with bombs flying over the defense, teams looking for a gunslinger with an attack mentality will place the Washington standout near the top of the board.

Despite his spectacular flashes, Penix is downgraded due to his extensive injury history (four season-ending injuries at Indiana, before he transferred to Washington) and somewhat-limited system fit (doesn’t shine as a middle-of-the-field, timing-based passer). There is some question as to whether his video-game numbers were more a product of Kalen DeBoer’s dynamic college offense than a reflection of elite ability.”

As far as Sean Payton and the Broncos are concerned, it’s not so much Penix’s ability to throw the deep ball, which will be the main draw. Accuracy over the middle is perhaps a flaw in the 23-year-old’s overall game, but in general terms, Brooks was very high on Penix’s pin-point precision arm.

The succession of injuries that blighted the early part of Penix’s collegiate career will continue to raise red flags. But he has aced his medical examinations during the pre-draft process, and that’s all he can really do at this juncture.

Summarily dismissing Penix’s prolific career Kalen DeBoer’s expensive offensive system at Washington would also be pretty foolish. Penix excelled in a system that trusted him to make all the right decisions, and that suggests there’s a lot more to come once he hits the pro ranks.

The fact that Penix is left-handed was one of Brooks’ most obvious reasons not to draft him. Everyone in football has their own unique perspective on why southpaws have been so uncommon in the NFL over the years.

Brooks was astute enough to avoid inciting such a cheap quarrel. If Brooks is proven true and Penix hits his draft floor at selection No. 43, it will send shockwaves throughout Round 2.

The Broncos would most likely hustle to trade back into Round 2 to get a chance at picking the outstanding young signal-caller, unless they had already picked their franchise quarterback of the future at No. 12. Bo Nix, anyone?