The 2024 NFL Draft kicked off with a flurry of excitement, but it was the Atlanta Falcons who stole the spotlight, delivering a jaw-dropping surprise with their first-round pick.

Falcons’ unexpected selection of Penix Jr.

In a move that left fans and experts alike reeling, the Falcons selected Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall, sparking a wave of speculation and intrigue across the league.

As the draft unfolded, all eyes were on the Falcons as they made their selection.

While many anticipated a different direction for Atlanta, the team threw a curveball by choosing Penix, a move that caught even incumbent quarterback Kirk Cousins off guard.

Reports revealed that Cousins had no prior knowledge of the Falcons’ intentions, highlighting the secrecy surrounding Atlanta’s decision-making process.

NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah revealed on air that Cousins’ camp confirmed he didn’t have prior knowledge of the Falcons’ decision to pick a quarterback in the first round.

“I just reached out to his agent, Mike McCartney, he was not given a heads up. Kirk Cousins was not given really a heads up on this whole thing,” Jeremiah said.

The news of Penix’s selection left Cousins stunned and disappointed, according to sources.

Coming off a recent multi-million dollar contract, Cousins had assumed he would lead the Falcons’ offense for years to come.

However, the team’s bold move signaled a potential shift in direction, leaving Cousins to grapple with the uncertainty of his future in Atlanta.

Penix Jr. poised to learn from Cousins

For Penix, the draft day surprise was met with a mix of shock and excitement.

“I’m not going to say I knew it was coming,”Penix said. “But I knew once the phone call came through.”

Despite the unexpected nature of his selection, the young quarterback expressed readiness to learn from Cousins and embrace the opportunity to grow within the Falcons’ organization.

“He’s been in the league,”Penix said. “He’s been in there for a while. He’s played a lot of football. I feel like I’m going to come in and I’m going to learn. I’m going to learn from him.”

While Penix’s talent is undeniable, concerns linger regarding his injury history and age.

Multiple ACL injuries during his college career have raised questions about his durability, adding an element of risk to the Falcons’ decision.

However, with the guidance of experienced veterans like Cousins, Penix has the chance to develop his skills and overcome any obstacles that may arise.

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Charges are not anticipated for the driver in an incident where a DeKalb County 5-year-old was hit and killed by a car, according to the DeKalb County Police Department.

Kaden Jackson was hit and killed by a car Tuesday night at the Highlands at East Atlanta apartment complex.

Jackson was taken to the hospital, where he later died. He had a severe head injury from the incident, police said.

5-year-old boy dies after being hit by vehicle in DeKalb County, police say

Police said the driver had stayed on the scene of the accident and cooperated in the investigation.

Copyright 2024 WANF. All rights reserved.

The Atlanta Braves have had some things not go their way this season. 

Top starting pitcher Spencer Strider, who left the home opener complaining of elbow pain that resulted in season-ending elbow surgery, was expected to be the anchor of a rotation that was seen as potentially one of the best in baseball. 

Instead, it’s free agent signee Reynaldo López, 2-0 with a 0.72 ERA, that has put up some of the best performances of any starter in all of baseball. He‘s allowed just two earned runs in his first 25 innings (four starts) on the 2024 season, including a thirteen-inning scoreless streak that spanned two full games. 

Despite López’s dominance, however, MLB.com’s Starting Pitcher Power Rankings, updated this morning after voting from the staff of MLB.com, don’t have him represented in the top nineteen. 

And that feels like an oversight. 

It’s actually the third iteration of the rankings for this season – Spencer Strider was at the top of the list prior to Opening Day, but has been removed for obvious reasons – yet López continues to not be recognized for his dominance. 

The top ten is full of a lot of names you’d expect – Zach Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies (#1), Tyler Glasnow of the Los Angeles Dodgers (#2), and Corbin Burnes of the Baltimore Orioles (#4) – but one name that got my attention is Boston Red Sox starter Kutter Crawford, who is new to the list for this edition. 

Coming in the list at #7, MLB.com notes that he’s currently leading the majors with a 0.66 ERA. Having made five starts covering 27.1 innings, Crawford’s allowed only three runs (two earned) while striking out thirty and not yet allowing a homer. MLB.com notes that he’s not allowed more than one run in any of his five starts, including holding the Orioles and Cleveland Guardians scoreless. 

Know who is second in all of baseball in ERA behind Crawford? Reynaldo López, who has also put up two scoreless outings among his four starts and hasn’t allowed more than one run in any outing this season.

And yet, no recognition. 

López didn’t even make the “others receiving votes”, which has nine names who all were mentioned by the thirteen MLB.com voters while they were compiling the rankings. 

Would you really rather have Paul Blackburn of the Oakland A’s, who has allowed seven runs in five starts, over Reynaldo López right now? What about Toronto’s Yusei Kikuchi, who also has seven runs allowed in 27.2 innings and a loss on his ledger? Seattle’s Bryce Miller has eight runs allowed (seven earned) and eleven walks with five homers already on the season, but he’s getting votes instead of López. 

Make it make sense.