Oregon’s football program has a strong history of producing NFL talent, but when it comes to quarterbacks, they’ve often come up short. Bo Nix looks like he could be the exception — on track for a long and successful career in the league.
A lot of people around the NFL are bullish on Nix, and for good reason. He was a top-15 pick in the 2024 Draft. But maybe no one is higher on the former Duck than NFL.com’s lead draft writer, Eric Edholm.
In his annual feature, “2025 NFL MVP: One Candidate from Each AFC Team,” Edholm named Nix the Broncos’ standout contender at quarterback. Reflecting on Denver’s last season, Edholm pointed to the team’s defense and its key players.
“A year ago, I picked Patrick Surtain II for this piece, and he was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year. Surtain was tremendous, and the Broncos’ defense — already a top-five unit last season — arguably could be better in 2025.”
But to reach the next level, Edholm stressed it’ll take Nix building on an impressive rookie year that helped lead Denver back to the playoffs. He noted that Broncos left tackle Garett Bolles called Nix a “freak of nature” after Year One, and new tight end Evan Engram said Nix has “everything that it takes to be great” in the NFL.
Nix himself feels his understanding of Sean Payton’s offense will be much stronger in Year Two. Last season, he pushed Jayden Daniels hard in the Offensive Rookie of the Year race — ultimately falling just short.
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If the Broncos are going to finally overtake the Kansas City Chiefs and win the AFC West division for the first time since 2013, Nix will almost certainly play a huge role. And if that happens, it’s hard to imagine he wouldn’t be right in the MVP conversation.
Nix put together one of the best rookie seasons in NFL history.
He completed 66% of his passes for 3,775 yards and 29 touchdowns, with 12 interceptions. On the ground, he rushed for 430 yards and four scores, showing off his athleticism.
He’s often compared to Buffalo’s Josh Allen — last season’s MVP — because of his dual-threat style and leadership. If Nix can keep building on last year’s success, the sky’s the limit.
With Sean Payton at the helm, who has always been a big believer in Nix’s potential, the Broncos might finally have their franchise quarterback — and a renewed sense of hope since Peyton Manning retired.