Former Spartan QB Affected by Biggest Shock of First Round of 2024 NFL Draft

Former Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins's name has been coming up in the latest buzz surrounding the Atlanta Falcons' shocking selection of Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall.

Perhaps the most unexpected move of the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday was the Atlanta Falcons' drafting of quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick.

While most didn't have Penix projected going top-10, nobody could have guessed he would be going to Atlanta, which already had its QB1 in former Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins.

And it's not like Cousins was on his way out the door. The Falcons just signed the veteran quarterback to a four-year, $180-million contract this offseason. The club did so after releasing its former starting quarterback Marcus Mariota, the 2014 Heisman Trophy winner.

Cousins signed with the Falcons after playing six seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. His final season in Minnesota took a turn for the worst when he went down with a torn Achilles in Week 8 against the Green Bay Packers. He missed the rest of the season.

Atlanta's addition of Penix begs countless questions. The first, of course, is who will start under center for the Falcons next season? It's always good to have options, but Atlanta essentially committed to Cousins just last month with a long-term contract that made him a top-10 highest-paid quarterback in the league at $45-million per year.

"We had no idea this [the Penix pick] was coming," said Cousins' agent Mike McCartney, per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. "The truth is the whole league had no idea this was coming. We got no heads up. Kirk got a call from the Falcons when they were on the clock. That was the first we heard. It never came up in any conversation."

Cousins was one of the best quarterbacks to ever come through Michigan State. He is the second in program history in passing yards (9,131) and passing touchdowns (66).

Cousins finished his career at Michigan State top-10 in Big Ten career completion percentage (.641). He was named a 2011 All-Big Ten Second Team honoree and a 2010 Davie O'Brien Award semifinalist, awarded annually to the nation's top quarterback.

Following his college career, Cousins was drafted by the Washington Redskins (now Washington Commanders) in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft.

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