NFL Draft Profile: Bo Nix, Quarterback, Oregon Ducks
#10
Pos: QB
Ht: 6016
Wt: 213
DOB: 2/25/2000
Hometown: Pinson, AL
High School: Pinson Valley
Eligibility: 2023
Bo Nix
Auburn Tigers
One-Liner:
Athletic QB with prototypical size, lacking in arm strength, accuracy, and pocket presence.
Evaluation:
Nix is a very good athlete for the position. He displays some bail-out instances where he can get a first down on 3rd and long by improvising with his legs. Completed the ball throwing from multiple platforms and arm angles. Very proficient when operating RPOs and is at his best when doing so. Ball placement appeared to get better as the offense moved closer to the endzone and the field shrunk. Lacks accuracy on long throws outside the numbers and deep throws down the field. Forces too many quick-triggered throws where his timing is way too early, ending up as a turnover-worthy play. Lower body mechanics are not consistent and will force back-footed throws in clean pockets. Has to see the play open up before delivering instead of anticipating windows and timing. Has a sped-up clock and will eject out of clean pockets and force his receivers to break against the grain to get open. Nix will also force the ball on these scrambles across his body, and his arm isn’t strong enough to consistently get away with this. After a promising freshman season, Nix didn’t take a huge 2nd-year leap as some hoped, but went rather laterally. His play was much more of the same: sporadic accuracy, happy feet in the pocket, and some head-scratching decisions resulting in some turnovers. With his athleticism, there are some splash plays with his legs and throws on the run, but his tools aren’t to the point where these plays can outweigh his below-average arm strength, inaccuracy, and processing proficiency. He needs to anticipate throws better, but asking him to do so isn’t to his strengths. Nix is at his best when operating RPOs and can use his twitch to get the ball out quickly in space. Playing in empty sets also seems to make the game slow down for Nix, as he is forced to pull the trigger quicker, or have enough time to hold the ball for running lanes to open up. Nix could be a great college quarterback, but there are intangibles that he lacks and will need to fix to be considered for a developmental QB spot in the NFL.
Grades
UDFA
Latest News:
After a disappointing sophomore campaign in which he failed to progress, Auburn quarterback Bo Nix looks to bounce back to the winning ways he enjoyed early on in his career under new head coach Bryan Harsin. Nix discussed some of the specific areas of his game that he emphasized on trying to improve upon during the offseason at SEC media day. “Just coverage recognition and preparing for the defenses going into the game is extremely important for the pre-snap,” Nix informed the gathered media in attendance. “Knowing a pre-snap will give you an idea of what they could be in, so it can allow you to just adapt once the play starts. Most guys, most good quarterbacks are instinctive anyway, so once the play starts they just kind of roll with what they have and they make things work. But understanding the pre-snap will get you out of many things and will tell you kind of what the defense is not in, which can help you as a quarterback. And all about the SEC is just processing information as fast as possible and the quarterbacks who succeed process information and they get the ball out where it needs to go.” In addition to learning a new offensive scheme, the junior signal-caller will need to rely on getting rid of the ball quickly and accurately. It’s a make-or-break type year for Nix, who still has a lot of work to do in order to get back in good faith of NFL scouts. - (07/26/21)
Background:
Bo Nix is coming to Oregon after his career at Auburn where he was an extremely solid player for the Tigers. Nix was the SEC Freshman of the Year and Week in Weeks one and five. He also earned Academic Honor Roll in both 2019 and 2020. From Pinson, Alabama, Nix was setting records before committing to Auburn where he had twelve thousand offensive yards and one hundred sixty one career touchdowns. He was named Alabama’s Gaotrade Player of the Year and was a five star recruit. With his experience playing in the SEC, Nix will be a solid starter for the Ducks in 2022. The son of former Auburn quarterback Patrick Nix (1992-95) who was also his high school football coach. Studying in the College of Liberal Arts. Alabama Gatorade player of the year. USA Today All-USA offensive player of the year finalist. Under Armour All-America Game. Top Dual Threat QB in 2019 according to 24/7Sports.
