Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix has gotten off to a strong start this season. Where does he stand in the Heisman conversation after a superb 2022 campaign and an undefeated start to 2023?
Bo Nix: Heisman Winner?
Nix is currently third in Heisman odds, per DraftKings, with +600 odds. Nix sits behind Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (+210) and USC quarterback Caleb Williams (+230).
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Nix has a rather commanding lead at the top over the guys behind him. The next closest odds are Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel at +1400, Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis at +1800, and North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye at +2000 odds.
Nix’s Case for the Heisman
While there have been a remarkable amount of jokes over the Nix-Heisman conversation over the years, this is without a doubt the most serious the conversation has been.
Nix has operated Oregon’s scheme to perfection this season, completing 80.4% of his passes for 1,459 yards, 15 touchdowns, and just one interception on the year through five games. Throwing to talents like Troy Franklin, Nix has led Oregon to an undefeated start to the season with back-to-back 42-6 wins over Colorado and Stanford.
Nix faces his biggest test of the year when he travels on the road to take on Penix and the Washington Huskies. In fact, Nix will take on both quarterbacks currently ahead of him in Heisman odds, as Oregon will face USC as well on November 11.
If Nix can keep his performance up and elevate his team to winning both of those games, it’s hard to see him not walking away with the Heisman at the end of the season.
Nix’s Draft Stock
Nix has bounced around with his draft stock. Nix was frequently in the QB3 discussion over the summer, and despite his play, he hasn’t been brought up a ton in those discussions lately. Nix has been mentioned as a wild card first-rounder or fringe first-rounder and not as a first-round lock, frequently being regarded in the second-round range.
Nix’s transformation from a quarterback who people loved to joke around about to a legitimate NFL prospect is one of the most impressive turnarounds in recent memory, and he deserves his flowers for that.
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Scouts want to see Nix open up downfield more in these critical games and show he can operate beyond Oregon’s scheme. Nix’s completion percentage has been slightly inflated by him often throwing short or behind the line of scrimmage, as Oregon’s scheme is designed to feature receivers in space and let them win after the catch. It’s not totally Nix’s fault, but scouts want to see Nix play aggressively and win downfield more.
The games against Washington and USC will define Nix’s draft stock. If he can show he can outduel two extremely talented quarterbacks in Penix and Williams, not only will it be hard to keep Nix’s name out of the Heisman conversation, but he’d likely cement himself as a first-round pick in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft.
