Scouting Report: Bo Nix (QB) - Oregon
Sales Pitch: “Experienced and mature signal caller with 60+ starts at the collegiate level. Flawed as a pure drop back passer but above average athletic ability and accuracy projects him as a high floor back-up and spot starter.”
Athletic Profile
Height: 6’ 2 1/8”
Weight: 214 lbs
Arm Length: 30 1/4”
Hand Size: 10 1/8”
40 Yard Dash: N/A
10 Yard Split: N/A
Vertical: N/A
Broad Jump: N/A
Short Shuttle: N/A
3-Cone: N/A
Age: 24
Relative Athletic Score: N/A
Statistics
Career: 66.2% - 14,989 YDS - 108 TD - 26 INT - 148.4 RTG
2023: 77.2% - 4,145 YDS - 40 TD - 3 INT - 186.2 RTG
Strengths
Above average speed and quickness for the position
Rare experience and maturity for a collegiate QB
High end accurate on 3 step drop progressions and other
quick game conceptsSolid accuracy and touch on throws of 20+
Quickly finds hot route when defense brings a free runner
Rarely puts the ball in harms way as a runner and thrower
Arm talent to push the ball down the field and into tight
windowsCreative arm angles allow him to navigate pressure lanes
Shows the ability to break the pocket and extend plays
Quick compact baseball like release
Weaknesses
College offense rarely asked him to work deep into progressions
Not a problem solver as a passer when forced to go off script
Conservative thrower that is adverse to attacking tight windows
Accuracy takes a big hit when forced off his spot
Limited reps of throwing with anticipation over the middle
Faced limited pressure at Oregon, when he did he struggled
Footwork and mechanics deteriorate in the face of pressure and on extended drops
Slow to progress to backside reads, often gets stuck on initial progression
Toesy thrower in the pocket which reduces his velocity when attacking
over the middleMarginal touch on throws to all three levels. Ball comes out hard and flat, often struggled to take velocity off.
Summary
Very few quarterback’s can match up with Bo Nix’s collegiate resume. The all-time NCCA starts record holder with 60, will leave college with the 6th most passing yards of all time. Coming off his best season ever, which included a Top-3 Heisman finish, his stock has never been higher. Nix enters the NFL as a high floor quarterback option due to his above average athleticism and strong accuracy in the short to intermediate areas of the field. His experience really shines through as a signal caller when it comes to protecting the ball, where he does a fantastic job of limiting turnovers as a passer. Nix has a plus arm and is able to extend plays outside the pocket making him a good fit in a play action scheme that likes to move the pocket. Oregon rarely asked him to be a straight drop back passer and when they did he struggled progressing deep into reads. Nix struggled to throw with anticipation and accuracy between the hashes in the intermediate areas of the field despite the arm strength to fit tight windows. While he didn’t face pressure often in 2023 - 15% pressure rate is lowest amongst top QBs - he struggled greatly when he did. Nix’s footwork and mechanics begin to deteriorate on extended drops or when knocked off his spot causing his accuracy to fluctuate. Nix has plus arm talent for the position but lacks creativity as a thrower. His main approach is his fastball and does not display the ability to throw with touch to the 2nd and 3rd levels on a consistent basis. Typically a half field read player, he often opted to extend and finish plays out of structure with his legs as opposed to his arm. Nix projects to be a high floor player who should be able to handle a starting job immediately due to his experience and mobility. He has the physical tools to be a starting quarterback in the league but a late declaration age combined with massive improvements needed as a dropback passer raise significant questions about his ceiling.