Oregon quarterback Bo Nix may not have the same kind of popularity as other players at his position entering the 2024 NFL Draft, but he’s still a coveted name.
In two seasons with the Ducks, Nix completed close to 75% of his passes for over 8,000 yards and 74 touchdowns. Those numbers blew away the work he put in during his first two years at Auburn. In 2023, he not only took home the PAC-12 Offensive Player of the Year Award but was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy Award that later went to Jayden Daniels.
Now, as Nix and Daniels both await their names to be called in April’s draft, one team has piqued his interest — the Denver Broncos.
Bo Nix Talks About Fit With Broncos and Sean Payton
On Robert Griffin III’s RG3 and The Ones podcast, Nix joined the former second-overall pick to discuss his future NFL prospects and what team would be a good fit for his overall skill set.
When asked specifically about the potential for the Broncos and Sean Payton to draft him at some point in April, the Oregon QB didn’t hold back on his excitement.
“That would be a blast,” Nix told RGIII. “Playing for a coach like that who has been so important for the offensive game. He’s known for a lot of what he and Drew Brees did together.”
Bo Nix would absolutely love to play for the Denver Broncos and Sean Payton,
“He’s known a lot for what he and Drew Brees did together. It was quick game, get the ball out, timing stuff that I Love to do. That’s what we did so great here at Oregon.”
📺 https://t.co/1ur9iyAdqv pic.twitter.com/3UJtaMve6D
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) April 4, 2024
Nix cited Payton’s use of the quick passing attack to move the ball downfield as a reason he feels he could be a good fit for the Broncos offense.
“I love to do (that). That’s what we did so great at Oregon … it’s an extension of the running game.”
Nix may be taller than Drew Brees was during his playing career (6’3″ to 6’0″), but his accuracy on short passes was something that Griffin cited during his conversation with the 24-year-old quarterback.
“The comparison to you and Brees comes from what you were able to do in your last two years at Oregon,” Griffin said to Nix. “Your tape is really clean. Your fundamentals are really clean, your decision-making is clean. That’s what Drew was known for.”
While Nix may not have to wait long overall for his name to be called in a few weeks, there is still some debate on where he would fall during the NFL Draft.
Nix’s Scouting Report
If you’re looking for a more in-depth look at Nix’s overall scouting report, check out PFN NFL Draft Analyst Ian Cummings‘ breakdown on the 24-year-old passer.
Cummings, like Griffin, highlights Nix’s overall technique as a major plus for him and something that won’t have to be overly corrected like many other signal-callers in this class. His anticipation and accuracy are things to marvel at as well.
The issue with the Oregon quarterback has to do with his overall arm strength and his need to be overly patient with the football. His arm strength isn’t terrible, but it’s a tick below others in his class, and his propensity to not put the ball in harm’s way can lead to him holding onto the ball too long in key situations.
In the end, Nix could be a late first-round, second-round lock in a few weeks. For the Denver Broncos to take him, they will have a difficult decision to make.
Should Denver use the 12th overall pick on Nix, it could be seen as a reach due to the other prospects in this class. They also don’t own a second-round pick, so the Broncos could lose out on Nix entirely if they go a different direction in the first round.
Denver could also trade out of their current slot in the hopes of accumulating more draft capital and getting in range for Nix to not be seen as a reach. Whatever Payton and his franchise do, though, could determine exactly where Nix ends up going at the NFL Draft.
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