2024 NFL Draft: Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels climb updated QB rankings

Don’t Laugh, Bo Nix Is A Legit NFL Prospect

QB5: Bo Nix (Oregon)

Full disclosure: Bo Nix has the talent to make this ranking look silly this time next year. However, the red flags in his profile are too much to look past — at least when it comes to his viability as a Day 1 quarterback.

Positives: Experience, Size, Lightning-Quick Release, Dual-Threat Ability

Negatives: Age, Footwork, Arm Strength, Eye Usage Within The Pocket

Bo Nix has started the most games at quarterback in the history of college football. With that comes loads of invaluable experience that should help his transition to the next level. He is a smart signal-caller that displays a lightning-quick release, and a variety of arm angles used to get the ball out as soon as possible.

Nix has the size to hold up for a full season, standing at a stocky 6-foot-2 and weighing nearly 220 pounds. He uses this size and an impressive burst to terrorize opponents as a runner. The Oregon star is never shy to lower his shoulder and keep the chains moving for his team; it’s something his teammates gush over.

As far as Nix’s arm goes, it’s best described as “good-not-great”. His deep ball can lack air at times, while the fastball is a few MPH slow when it comes to fitting tight windows. That being said, he is completing passes at nearly an 80 percent clip in 2023, so it hasn’t hampered him.

Still, in the NFL, the gap between a decent arm and an elite arm is Grand Canyon-sized. Furthermore, for such an older prospect, Nix still shows raw tendencies with his footwork and upper-body mechanics. Ideally, he will learn how to keep his feet set and sense pressure coming more effectively.

Speaking of his age, that is the most glaring issue on his NFL Draft profile. While 24 years old doesn’t sound old to the average person, I assure you that NFL front offices will take his advanced age into consideration. It’s not often someone in their mid-20s becomes a starter in the league and continues improving their craft. Nix would need to be an outlier in this regard.

I have Bo Nix graded as an early second-round player. But given how many teams will be searching for a new quarterback this offseason, a push into the first day of the 2024 NFL Draft is well within reach. Nix needs a stable roster with an offensive-minded head coach to truly pan out in the NFL.

2024 NFL Draft: The Best Of The Rest

QB6: Michael Penix Jr. (Washington)

QB7: Michael Pratt (Tulane)

QB8: Spencer Rattler (South Carolina)

QB9: Joe Milton (Tennessee)

QB10: Sam Hartman (Notre Dame)

*Shedeur Sanders, Cam Ward, Carson Beck, and Quinn Ewers were all excluded from the list, as they are expected to return to college for the 2024 season