TV Analyst Makes Bold Prediction on Bo Nix's Rookie Year With Broncos

Does the 24-year-old Bo Nix really need more time to ripen on the sidelines at Denver Broncos HQ?

Oct 28, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix (10) drops back to pass / Christopher Creveling-USA TODAY Sports

All things considered, the Denver Broncos didn't draft the most experienced college passer of all time just to let him learn the ropes from the bench. Bo Nix started an NCAA record 61 games, and by navigating plenty of live action, the Broncos will likely have no fear of throwing the 24-year-old in at the deep end early.

Let's face facts. If Nix can't beat out Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham during this summer's training camp battle, Sean Payton and company will have spectacularly failed their scouting evaluations.

Indeed, NFL Network's Marc Ross was almost dismissive of the Broncos' lip service that Nix will have to out-compete the likes of Wilson and Stidham.

"This is the easiest layup going on with Bo Nix there. And you know, with Bo Nix I just love the skill set," Ross said on NFL Total Access. "Quick passing game. Gets it out, reads the defense. Quick go where, the match of this offense, his system. We know Drew Brees was a machine in the quick passing game, of course Drew [Brees] could come out of that and make big time plays as well. But just as far as a match of a talent of what I do really well, Bo Nix and Sean Payton, what I'm going to coach, he's got to be on the field because it'll be a seamless match. Son of a coach, played 61 games there. He's ready to go. There's no need for him to wait around, mentally, physically, emotionally, all of that - he's ready to go," Ross said on NFL Total Access.

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Ross is not alone in his assertions that Nix is a ready-made starter in Denver. Nix is undoubtedly walking into a unique setup with his new head coach, one that will differ greatly from what his fellow rookies will perhaps experience elsewhere.

While the likes of J.J. McCarthy in Minnesota, and Michael Penix Jr. in Atlanta might sit for a while, the Broncos vision for the No. 12 overall pick will be fundamentally different.

Payton believes that Nix has all the mental capabilities that traditionally give rookie quarterbacks the critical edge, especially when it comes to stepping in under center from the get-go. 

Just in case Payton didn't already know the advanced levels of cerebral dexterity Nix had in his locker, additional evidence arrived during the pre-draft process. 

"He's extremely smart," Payton said of Nix shortly after drafting the Oregon signal caller. "We tried to send those guys similar tests—they were identical—the night before, 5:00 p.m., e-mailed the test. When I say the test, the series of first-, second-, third-day install. So quite a bit to study. [When it is] 5:00 p.m. and you get three days of install, and we're meeting  at 9 [o'clock] in the morning, it's almost purposefully a little bit more than we think. Then at what point do they fail? In other words, it's a lot. These guys were all really impressive. We got there at 9 a.m. and we gave him the test at 5 p.m. He's sitting [Nix] there in the office, and you could tell he probably had been in the hotel room, do not disturb, pot of coffee, just grinding on it. So he's extremely intelligent, really smart."

Processing information is the core strength Payton is banking on as soon as he gets his hands on Nix. One can safely presume that Nix is already being fed even more complex details to get a headstart on his offensive learning curve.

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