Broncos HC Sean Payton shares when he knew rookie Bo Nix was his QB

On Wednesday, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton named rookie quarterback Bo Nix the starter, which isn't surprising. Payton knew he was his guy early in the draft process.

On a Tuesday episode of The Athletic's "Scoop City" podcast with Dianna Russini and Chase Daniel, Payton said he visited Eugene, Oregon, in March to watch Nix's pro day and hold a private workout the following morning. After Nix's first 16 passes in the private workout, Payton told general manager George Paton, "This is the guy."

During the NFL Draft, the Broncos called the New York Jets (pick No. 11) and the Las Vegas Raiders (pick No. 13) to gauge their interest in Nix, via Russini. After determining the Jets weren't taking a QB in the first round and the Raiders didn't want to move up, Denver took him with the 12th overall pick.

While Payton liked Nix, he didn't hand him the job. The HC listed him as QB3 on the first unofficial depth chart and had him compete with Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham. However, the rookie aced all tests, helping him win the QB battle.

"You're wondering why the Broncos made this decision. How did Bo Nix go from third-string QB — or whatever — to starter?" NFL Media's Ian Rapoport said Wednesday on "The Insiders." "It's really pretty simple. Every test, he passed. From rookie minicamp to OTAs to training camp and [preseason] games, on-platform throws, off-platform throws, it's a really complex offense. He seems to have devoured it and deciphered it."

Through two preseason games, Nix has completed 23-of-30 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns, posting a solid 116.7 passer rating. If he stays on the right track, Nix could show why he convinced Payton he's the answer after 16 throws in the predraft workout.

He could also give Denver stability at the sport's most important position. In Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks, Nix will become the 14th QB to start for the club since Hall of Famer Peyton Manning retired in 2016.