Broncos draft Oregon QB Bo Nix with No. 12 overall pick in 2024 NFL Draft

The Denver Broncos might have Russell Wilson‘s successor.

With the 12th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday, the Broncos selected Oregon QB Bo Nix — arguably higher than anyone could have imagined him going not too long ago. But as soon as the Atlanta Falcons made the surprise pick of Michael Penix Jr., that made it five quarterbacks drafted in the first 10 selections.

Sean Payton and the Broncos had to be aware that they couldn’t afford to be creative if they desired Nix. They couldn’t trade down from 12 and anticipate Nix to be still available. However, it might just be that Payton has found the perfect match for his system in Denver.

The Heisman Trophy contender, who started 61 games at Oregon and Auburn over five seasons, steps into the NFL with ample experience. Nix secured the starting position at Auburn during his freshman year and played with several coordinators over three seasons with the Tigers, before joining Oregon Ducks in 2022. Under the guidance of Oregon’s head coach Dan Lanning, Nix excelled.

Nix demonstrated a knack for quickly releasing the ball, excelling in Oregon’s zone-read, fast-attack offense. This strategy will also feature in the Broncos’ playbook, mirroring how Drew Brees thrived under Payton’s scheme in New Orleans.

Standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing 214 pounds, Nix has a solid build and notably large hands measuring 10 1/8 inches. He has been a starter from the very beginning and has had a productive five-year college career, particularly excelling in Eugene.

Nix recorded 7,251 passing yards, 39 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions in 34 games during his three seasons at Auburn, ranking him third in Auburn history for passing yards. He then moved to Oregon and during his two seasons there, he amassed 8,101 yards with 74 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Nix also set Oregon’s single-season records for passing yards, completions, and touchdown passes.

Nix has demonstrated developmental progress throughout his five seasons, exhibiting impressive footwork in the pocket. He can easily evade pressure and extend plays. He is capable of creating opportunities with his feet and arm when a play falls apart. Some of his most powerful throws have occurred while in motion. He also excels at quarterback draws and designed runs.

Nix exhibited excellent recognition before the snap and vigilant observation after the snap, consistently aware of where to direct the ball. His swift footwork and rapid delivery enable him to reach his target efficiently. The quarterback’s streamlined release allows him to deliver the ball all across the field with minimal effort.

In 2023, Nix broke the FBS record for single-season completion percentage (77.4) previously held by Mac Jones. The QB also takes care of the ball, with only 26 picks thrown on 1,936 career pass attempts, including just three on 470 passes in 2023.

Spending five seasons in college, Nix, 24, is older than many rookies — for comparison, he’s 19 months older than Texans QB C.J. Stroud. At times during his college career, Nix relied more on his arm strength than fundamentals to get the ball out, particularly against pressure, leading to some accuracy issues. There are also questions about how much he benefited from the offense he played in at Oregon. His average depth of target was only 6.8 yards in 2023 (third-lowest in FBS), with nearly 30 percent of his passes in 2023 thrown behind the line of scrimmage, per Pro Football Focus. As such, there will be questions about how he’ll respond outside his comfort zone at the pro level.

There is no question that the Broncos are getting a bonafide leader, as teammates and coaches boasted how Nix often acted as a coach on the field. Now comes the question of how quickly Nix can beat out Jarrett Stidham, Ben DiNucci and recent trade acquisition Zach Wilson.

Suddenly, the quarterback room in Denver has become much more interesting and deeper.