Bo Nix is headed to the Mile High City.
The former Oregon Ducks quarterback was selected by the Denver Broncos with the No. 12 overall pick of the NFL draft Thursday night.
“I had great meetings with them,” Nix said. “Between meetings and workouts, throwing, all that good stuff, I was able to build a great connection with them. I always loved being around the coaches and the guys making the decisions and all that kind of thing. I was just very excited, almost speechless when I got that call. I’m just very excited, very happy to be a Bronco.”
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Nix’s four-year contract, with a fifth-year club option, is projected to be worth $18,613,158 with a $10,356,840 signing bonus, according to OverTheCap.com.
Broncos coach Sean Payton had a private workout with Nix the day after Oregon’s pro day in Eugene last month. Payton sent Nix a packet of plays mimicking the first three days of Denver’s offensive install at 5 p.m. the night before to see how much he could retain when they met at 9 a.m. the next day. Nix retained it all exceptionally well.
“He’s sitting there in the office, and you could tell that he probably had been in the hotel room, do not disturb, pot of coffee, just grinding on it,” Payton said. “So he’s extremely intelligent, really smart. He handled a lot of the protections. I gave you five or six different statistics. Negative play differential. When you watch him, it’s pretty calming. He’s very efficient, and it’s not just because of the (underneath throws]). You see a ton of NFL throws in their offense. His accuracy, he set an NCAA record. Then was he making the throws that we’re going to ask him to make? I think the one thing over the years, if you study it closely, guys that get sacked a lot in college tend to get sacked a lot in the NFL. Sometimes, that might be processing. Often times, we’ll look at the offensive line, the ball comes out and it comes out sometimes in funny body positions. He has a quick stroke.
“George and I watched his Pro Day on video, and the very next day we’re there for his private (workout). We tried to count, ‘All right, how many misses were there?’ One of them — it’s really amazing to see the location. When we have critical factors for certain positions, obviously at quarterback one of the critical factors is are they accurate? So he’s extremely accurate.”
Nix also came away from the meeting pleased with how it went.
“We talked a lot of football, and we talked a lot about his scheme, and what he’s done for so many years and how he’s been so successful,” Nix said. “It was a blast talking football, to be honest with you. It was a blast to be in there with him and the other coaches. They brought a lot of guys out there to the private (workout), and I was just very honored to have them around.
“I know it’s tough to get to Eugene. I was super excited, super thrilled to work with them. I had a blast, and I definitely saw a great relationship there at that moment. So I’m just happy to be a part of their team now.”
He becomes the first Oregon player ever to be taken in the first round by the Broncos and the 10th overall to be drafted by Denver, where he reunites with former center Alex Forsyth, a seventh-round pick last year.
Nix will compete for the starting job against five-year veteran Jarrett Stidham, his predecessor at Auburn, and former first-round pick Zach Wilson, who was recently acquired from the New York Jets.
“I know everybody has to compete,” Nix said. “I know everyone has to go to work. We haven’t had any conversations past draft prep and obviously the recent draft pick (call). Other than that, I just can’t wait to get around the locker room, can’t wait to get around the guys, meet all my new teammates, new coaches and get to work.”
Nix is the seventh Oregon quarterback and 22nd player in program history to be picked in the first round of the NFL draft, including 10 since 2013. Nix joins Justin Herbert (2020), Marcus Mariota (2015), Joey Harrington (2002), Akili Smith (1999), Chris Miller (1987) and George Shaw (1955) as first-round Ducks QBs.
It’s the first time in program history that Oregon players were drafted in the first round in five consecutive years as Nix joins Christian Gonzalez (No. 17 in 2023, New England Patriots), Kayvon Thibodeaux (No. 5 in 2022, New York Giants), Penei Sewell (No. 7 in 2021, Detroit Lions) and Herbert (No. 6 in 2020, Los Angeles Chargers).
The Pac-12 player of the year and a Heisman Trophy finalist, Nix completed an NCAA record 77.5% of his passes for 4,508 yards with a nation-leading 45 touchdowns and three interceptions and had 54 carries for 234 yards and six scores last season. Nix set Oregon single-season records for completions, passing yards and passing touchdowns and ranks third in program history in career completions (658), third in passing touchdowns (74) and fifth in passing yards (8,101) despite playing only two years at UO.
He made an NCAA-record 61 career starts over five seasons, the last two at Oregon and first three at Auburn. Nix threw for 15,352 yards with 113 touchdowns and 26 interceptions, and also rushed for 1,613 yards and 38 scores.
Nix did not perform any of the physical tests, but did throw at the NFL Scouting Combine. He threw again at Oregon’s pro day last month and met virtually with several teams and took several 30 visits leading up to the draft.
Nix was also the winner of the 2023 William V. Campbell Trophy, commonly referred to as the academic Heisman, and was an academic All-American.
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