Broncos reportedly had Bo Nix ranked ahead of surprising QB prospects

Some were downright stunned when the Denver Broncos made Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix the 12th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, but it seems those who believe Denver truly wanted Michael Penix Jr. of the Washington Huskies instead of Nix are incorrect. 

For a mailbag published on Wednesday afternoon, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated mentioned that Denver head coach Sean Payton would've drafted Nix over Penix, North Carolina Tar Heels star Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy of the Michigan Wolverines. 

The New England Patriots made Maye the draft's third overall pick before the Atlanta Falcons surprisingly took Penix at choice No. 8. After the Minnesota Vikings grabbed McCarthy via the 10th overall selection, Payton got his man at pick No. 12. 

Leading up to the draft, some predicted that Nix would fall all the way to the second round of the player-selection process. 

"Payton saw in Nix an efficient quarterback who played faster and more mistake-free than any other quarterback in the class," Breer explained. "The Denver Broncos also saw, after witnessing him in person, a physically sturdier player — with big hands and a big lower half — than some made him out to be and with a stronger arm than most thought."

As recently as for an article published on Wednesday morning, analyst Eric Moody of ESPN referred to Denver taking Nix at No. 12 as "the biggest head-scratching pick of" this year's draft. 

"While he posted prolific numbers at Oregon during his final collegiate season, it's worth noting that nearly 67% of his passes came within nine yards of the line of scrimmage," Moody said about Nix. "Nix's selection appears to reflect desperation on the part of a Sean Payton-led Broncos team in need of a quarterback upgrade. I felt like Denver could have traded down and still landed Nix." 

The football community will never know if Moody is correct with that last point. The Las Vegas Raiders held the 13th pick and were linked with quarterback prospects leading up to the draft. Perhaps the Seattle Seahawks would've taken a flier on Nix at selection No. 16.

Many expect Nix to win the Denver starting job over journeyman Jarrett Stidham and former New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson this summer. Some even think that Payton’s offense "is optimal for" the first-year pro. 

As of late Wednesday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Nix tied for sixth among the betting favorites at +1600 odds to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award for the upcoming season. 

"We’ll see, of course, whether Payton is right," Breer added. "But I wouldn’t doubt his conviction (or his ability to evaluate quarterbacks)."