In what was a seemingly inevitable move, former Oregon Ducks quarterback and first round draft pick Bo Nix has finally been named the Week 1 starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos. The rookie has been crushing it all throughout the offseason process.
Bo Nix has drawn rave reviews throughout training camp and the preseason
All throughout camp and through two preseason games so far, Nix has looked confident, comfortable, and has made good decisions. His footwork has been clean, and he looks poised and in control of a scheme that will utilize his ability to get the ball out quickly.
When a quarterback gets drafted, it's not always a perfect match between coach and player. For Bo Nix, he's exactly the type of quarterback that Sean Payton wants, and it shows on the field. He was clearly the guy for Payton.
Through two preseason games, Nix is 23/30 for 205 passing yards, a 121.5 rating, and two passing touchdowns. He's made multiple plays with his legs, extending when the pocket collapses, and keeping his eyes downfield to throw darts to his receivers – namely, Courtland Sutton.
After their second preseason game, Payton said on Bo Nix: "I thought he played well. You feel the poise when he's playing."
Nix had a great 2023 with the Oregon Ducks in an offense that played to his strengths
Nix doesn't get the love that he should. He has an incredibly strong arm, has athleticism to extend plays when they break down (or straight up just run for a chunk of yards), and makes good decisions. Last year with Oregon, Nix had the best completion percentage in the country at 77.4%. He threw for 4,508 yards, and had a staggering 45:3 touchdown to interception ratio.
Just because they didn't ask him to throw deep as often, doesn't mean he can't. On throws 20+ yards down the field, Nix still had a 52.3% completion percentage, 12 touchdowns, and only one interception. Of qualified quarterbacks, his completion percentage of passes 20+ yards down the field was fourth in the country, and was better than Caleb Williams (51.5%). Now that's a fun stat.
The scheme at Oregon did one thing that Payton will also prioritize – it got the ball out of his hands. Wanting a quarterback that can quickly decipher a defense and make the right read, getting the ball to his playmakers before the pass rush has a chance to even get out of their starting blocks, and picking his spots to attack down the field, Nix is exactly the right quarterback for Payton.
Related: One of Bo Nix's best throws for the Denver Broncos in his preseason debut wasn't even a completion
Follow along all year for more Oregon Ducks coverage on A to Z Sports. You can find me on X @JonHelmkamp , as well as follow our main page @AtoZSportsNFL for all the latest news.
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