Bo Nix, QB Oregon: 2024 NFL Draft Profile
Nix was a five-star recruit from Pinson Valley High School in Pinson, Ala. in the class of 2019
Bo Nix resurrected his career with the Oregon Ducks. He has always had physical talent but struggled to master the technical and mental aspects of the game. Nix took several good steps forward in 2022 and projects as a day two pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
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Bo Nix, QB Oregon: 2024 NFL Draft Profile
Classification: Fifth-year senior quarterback from Pinson, Ala.
Background: Nix was a five-star recruit from Pinson Valley High School in Pinson, Ala. in the class of 2019. He was the No. 33 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 29 for Rivals, and No. 32 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 23rd in the nation (four-star) with an 86 grade out of 100. Nix spent three years at Auburn before transferring to Oregon for the 2022 season. In high school, he set records for the state of Alabama with more than 12,000 career total offense yards, including more than 10,000 passing yards, and 161 career touchdowns (127 passing and 34 rushing). Nix led Pinson to consecutive Class 6A State Championships. He was the 2018 Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year when he produced 3,496 passing yards, 48 passing touchdowns, 351 rushing yards, and six rushing touchdowns. Nix received Alabama Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-America honors from USA Today. His other accolades included being Alabama Mr. Football, invitations to the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game and Under Armour All-America Game, and Class 6A ASWA All-State and Back of the Year honors. He was a member of the National Honor Society and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Nix also played baseball and basketball in high school. His father, Patrick Nix, played quarterback at Auburn from 1992-1995 and was the team’s primary passer in 1994 and 1995.
Injuries & Off-Field: Participated in two service-mission trips to the Dominican Republic, Auburn team captain in 2020, missed three games in 2021 with a broken ankle, played through injuries in 2022
Awards: 2019 SEC Freshman of the Year, 2019 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll, 2020-21 SEC academic honor roll, 2022 Honorable Mention All-Pac-12, 2022 Third Team All-Pac-12 (PFF)
Pros: Only sacked six times in 2022, only fumbled once in 2022, time to throw meets NFL standards, gutsy QB who plays through injuries, quick throwing motion and release, throwing motion is clean and crisp, quickly sets feet and fires the ball, arm strength grants easy access to throws 50+ yards downfield, completed a 50-air-yard throw vs. Utah (2022), arm talent to drive the ball into tight windows on the sideline, throws a catch-able ball at all levels, leads targets to space with throws, examples of leading targets away from defenders, steps up in the pocket to avoid pressure, knows when to throw the ball away, works through reads down to checkdown, terrific athlete, creates off-platform and outside the pocket, mobility to run the option, mobility to escape pressure and extend plays, speed to heavily damage defenses
Cons: Age, Auburn tape, past history of fumbles, seven passes batted at the line in 2022, throwing footwork is toesy at times, throws off his toes or fades away when facing pressure, doesn’t consistently set feet and drive off his lower body to throw, becomes highly inaccurate when he freelances with his footwork, feet occasionally get stuck in the mud, arm talent isn’t elite, throwing motion can be rushed and produce wobbly throws, ball placement can be high and long, stares down receivers, forces throws, doesn’t see crashing safeties, vision and trust in arm lead to interception opportunities for breaking DBs, sometimes panics when his preferred read isn’t open, information processing shuts down when he becomes flustered, catastrophic decision-making pops up every now and then, benefited from some one-route reads and short game at Oregon, bails from the pocket too early or fails to step up, play action and ball fakes are often unconvincing
Overview: Nix’s Auburn career ended with a serious ankle injury, but he rebounded better than ever at Oregon. In 2022, Nix was only sacked six times and fumbled once. The transfer is a gutsy quarterback who is willing to play through injuries that limit his mobility and effectiveness if it means winning the game. Nix has a quick, clean throwing motion and release. He quickly sets feet and fires the ball, but his throwing footwork is toesy at times. He’s guilty of throwing off his toes or fading away when facing pressure and doesn’t consistently set his feet to drive off his lower body. Nix becomes highly inaccurate when he freelances with his footwork. The fifth-year senior’s arm strength grants easy access to throws 50+ yards downfield but falls short of elite. He connected on a pass that traveled roughly 50 air yards against Utah (2022). His ball placement can be high and long, but he has the arm talent to drive the ball into tight windows on the sideline. Nix throws with ideal touch at all levels of the field. He leads targets to open space or away from defenders. However, Nix stares down receivers and forces throws into tight coverage. His vision and trust in his arm lead to interception opportunities for breaking defensive backs. The Alabama native sometimes panics when his preferred read isn’t open, and his information processing shuts down when he becomes flustered. Nix’s catastrophic decision-making that plagued him at Auburn still pops up every now and then. As a veteran quarterback, Nix steps up in the pocket to avoid pressure and knows when to throw the ball away. He is tempted to bail from the pocket too early or retreat backward because of his excellent athleticism and ability to create off-platform. Nix has the speed to heavily damage defenses with his legs. Although he benefited from simplified reads and Oregon’s short game in 2022, he still displayed the processing speed to work through full-field reads down to his checkdown. Some problems from Nix’s time at Auburn could pop up against NFL competition, including his past history of fumbles.
Overall, Nix is a mobile quarterback with ideal arm talent, but his footwork, decision-making, and processing are still works in progress. Nix has always possessed the potential to be a high-level quarterback, but mechanical and mental mistakes sabotaged his time at Auburn. He made strides in a friendly Oregon offense in 2022 but needs to continue ironing out flaws.
Role & Scheme Fit: Mobile quarterback in a spread offense
Round Projection: Mid Second to Early Third
Size: 6'2", 213 lbs. (Unofficial)
Submitted: 07-19-23