Oregon Ducks standout Bo Nix may have been picked relatively low compared to his contemporary quarterbacks, but the faith his new team has in him is unmatched.
Nix, 24, was selected 12th overall by the Denver Broncos, who are still seeking their main quarterback for next season.
This is the first time the Broncos selected a quarterback in the first round since they picked Jay Cutler as No. 11 in the 2006 NFL Draft.
This year's selection is filled with ultra-talented play-callers, and Broncos coach Sean Payton believes that Nix, the sixth quarterback to get his name called, is among the best.
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Stat-wise, he believes their recruit is a good investment.
"The most accurate passer in college football history," he said of Nix in an interview with Pat McAfee.
"First at the end of the half in two-minute. First at the end of the game in two-minute. Second in red zone. Fewest sacks. . .Number one, he's extremely smart, and he handles his protections. And he's a tough sack."
"I think aside from the mental then, and eve in his pro day, his arm strength is extremely impressive."
While some pundits think Nix's drop to No. 12 is accurate, Payton's gut feeling about him differs.
He feels for Nix what he felt about Patrick Mahomes in 2017 when he was the coach of the New Orleans Saints.
Payton and the Saints were picking 11th at that time. Mahomes, now regarded as among the best quarterbacks of all time due to his success with the Kansas City Chiefs, was picked No. 10.
"Sean Payton wanted and intended to draft Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 draft when he held the 11th overall pick," NFL insider Adan Schefter wrote on X during the pre-draft.
"He was ready to turn in the card. But before he could, the Chiefs traded up to the Bills' spot at No. 10 and took Mahomes one spot before Payton got him, leaving the Saints to draft Ohio State cornerback Marshon Lattimore. Payton feels as strongly about Bo Nix as he did Mahomes."
Bo Nix's player profile
Nix is among the most experienced in this year's rookie crop.
He played a total of five seasons divided between Auburn and Oregon.
His best seasons came with Oregon, where he recorded a 71 percent completion rate in back-to-back seasons. He also completed 74 of his 113 career touchdown passes in two years with the team.
He won the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year in his last season with the Ducks.
He also boasts leadership skills, having won the 2023 William V. Campbell Trophy, an award given to college football players for their exceptional academics, community service, and on-field performance.
Payton is known for being a demanding coach who wants efficiency more than anything. No wasted plays.
The accuracy he touts about Nix will be a good fit for his system.
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