Payton attributes Nix’s NFL readiness to the 61 games he played in college while also adding that Nix is “extremely smart” and “picked [the offense] up very quickly.” Selected by the Broncos with the No. 12 pick in this year’s draft, Nix has a chance to open the season as the Week 1 starter if he can simply beat out Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson for the job — a task that appears relatively easy on the surface. Payton’s early praise of his young signal-caller can only bode well for him when it comes to deciding who opens as the Week 1 starter in four months.

It makes Nix the first first-round quarterback to sign. His deal includes a fifth-year team option for 2028. A pre-pandemic starter in 2019 for Auburn, 24-year-old Nix (6’2/214) is amongst the most experienced collegiate players of all time, which means he’s likely already at or near his ceiling. The good news is, he played near a Joe Burrow/LSU-type peak for the Ducks in 2023, posting a positively bonkers 45:3 TD:INT total in addition to rushing for six scores. Otherworldly efficient, Nix completed 77.4 percent of his throws while averaging 9.6 yards per attempt. To say he was playing in a quarterback-friendly system would be putting it mildly, but plenty of signal callers operate in these setups without posting numbers half as good. Nix dominates under pressure because of his single-minded obsession with getting the ball out quickly. He is also as accurate as his numbers would suggest and is an opportunistic rusher. He has NFL-level arm strength. If Nix can even split the difference between his absurd 2023 and middling 2019-21 at Auburn, he will be a plus NFL starter. The million-dollar question is how he fares outside his Eugene cocoon.

Head coach Sean Payton and the Denver front office “fell in love” with Nix in the pre-draft evaluation process, Graziano said, and Nix’s ample college experience and processing abilities make him the odds-on favorite to start Week 1 for the Broncos. The No. 12 overall pick in the draft could be useful for fantasy purposes since he has some rushing ability and has proven to be a highly efficient passer. Look for Nix to throw plenty of screens and short-area passes in Payton’s offense, the same as he did at Oregon.

A pre-pandemic starter in 2019 for Auburn, 24-year-old Nix (6’2/214) enters the NFL having taken the field for an unfathomable 3,724 college plays. That’s more snaps than Joe Burrow has mustered in the NFL. Nix is amongst the most experienced collegiate players of all time, which means he’s likely already at or near his ceiling. The good news is, he played near a Burrow/LSU-type peak for the Ducks in 2023, posting a positively bonkers 45:3 TD:INT total in addition to rushing for six scores. Otherworldly efficient, Nix completed 77.4 percent of his throws while averaging 9.6 yards per attempt. To say he was playing in a quarterback-friendly system would be putting it mildly, but plenty of signal callers operate in these setups without posting numbers half as good. Nix dominates under pressure because of his single-minded obsession with getting the ball out quickly. He is also as accurate as his numbers would suggest and is an opportunistic rusher. He has NFL-level arm strength. If Nix can even split the difference between his absurd 2023 and middling 2019-21 at Auburn, he will be a plus NFL starter. The million-dollar question is how he fares outside his Eugene cocoon. Nix isn’t facing stiff competition for the starting gig, and should have a good shot at getting the Week 1 nod if he impresses in camp.