The 2024 NFL Draft made waves not just with its top picks but also with some interesting selections further down the line.
The biggest shock of all was the Atlanta Falcons decision to draft Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth pick despite just recently signing free agent Kirk Cousins to a massive deal.
Another interesting selection was made by the Denver Broncos when they decided to snag Oregon quarterback Bo Nix with the #12 overall pick.
The move capped off a frenzy of quarterback picks, with half of the first 12 selections used on the position.
However, the Broncos decision to draft Nix raised some eyebrows, with many “experts” feeling that the team reached for the 24-year-old quarterback.
Draft analyst Todd McShay, formerly of ESPN, minced no words when he criticized the move.
“I promise you, I’ve talked to at least 10 guys in the league that are high ranking evaluators and decision makers in their organizations. Nobody else had a first-round grade on (Bo Nix),” McShay said on “The Ryen Russillo Podcast”.”
“But now he’s in Sean Payton’s system, and Sean loves him and they’re going to work together,” McShay continued. “I do think that he’s going to wind up being better in Denver than he would’ve been just about anywhere else in the league as a second-round pick … But my goodness, this is an arrogant pick.”
McShay labeled the pick as “arrogant” and expressed doubts about Nix’s potential based on his film.
However, he acknowledged that Nix might find success under the guidance of Broncos head coach Sean Payton.
“Sean Payton doesn’t need a pat on the back. He doesn’t need to prove anything at this point,” McShay added. “But if he coaches Bo Nix into a Pro Bowl type of player, and they go make deep playoff runs with this guy, it’s better than any coaching job he did with [Saints quarterback] Drew Brees.”
“Brees was great, they won a Super Bowl [together in 2010], but his skillset translated more [when he teamed up with Payton] than Bo Nix.”
“It’s all dependent on Sean Payton and his work with Bo Nix. So it’s all time ‘F you,’ like hey, you guys don’t think he’s a starter, you’re going to take him in the second round. I’m taking him at 12 and we’re going to go chase a Super Bowl.”
McShay’s comments preceded a revelation by Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, who detailed what convinced the Broncos to take a chance on Nix.
During a pre-draft meeting, Nix showcased his commitment to football, revealing a backpack filled with essentials for training and recovery, all football-related.
“Nix reached inside, and grabbed a roll of tape that he explained he’d need for his ankles if he were going to train,” Breer wrote of three-hour meeting with Payton. “He also pulled out a spare pair of football cleats and a lacrosse ball that he said he’d use for rolling out his back. And what wasn’t in the bag was just as significant. Everything was football-related. All of it.”
Furthermore, Nix’s impressive recall of offensive play installations during a private workout further impressed the Broncos brass, including Payton and GM George Paton.
Addressing the media, Payton slyly admitted to keeping their quarterback plans under wraps. “I was actively involved in trying to pretend we were moving forward,” he said with a grin.
Paton echoed the sentiment, expressing confidence in Nix’s readiness for the NFL given his extensive collegiate experience, having started a combined 61 games at Auburn and Oregon.
The Broncos decision to draft Nix marks a new chapter for the team after parting ways with Russell Wilson, whose tenure in Denver was marked by severe disappointment.
Wilson, who went 11-19 in two seasons with the Broncos, signed a one-year deal with the Steelers following his release.
Nix has had doubters ever since his Auburn days.
While he played spectacular at Oregon, he was often criticized for being a perceived “product of the system.” His naysayers pointed out how a lot of the damage he did came on throws behind the line of scrimmage.
Regardless, Nix may very well be the most intelligent quarterback of the entire draft. And we all know you need to be exceptionally intelligent in order to play for Payton.
To be honest, I don’t understand those “experts” who dislike the pick … It would be foolish to think that Nix has no shot to work well in Payton’s high-IQ, quick-decision offense.
I expect him to surprise a lot of people and silence the doubters, as he usually does.
What are your thoughts on Nix as a quarterback?
Do you like or dislike the pick? … Was it indeed a reach to take him at #12?
At the end of the day, how will he end up being as an NFL quarterback?
Will Payton bring out the best in him???