How did Bo Nix stack up to other rookie QBs in Week 1 of the preseason?
Aug 14, 2024, 5:20 AM
The Denver Broncos were one of six teams to select a quarterback in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Bo Nix was the no.12 overall pick, and he was the sixth quarterback selected in a flurry of activity at the top of the draft. This was a historic class for quarterbacks, and these six players will forever be compared to each other.
So, how did Nix stack up to the other five first-round quarterbacks in Week 1 of the preseason? Let’s take a look.
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Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
I think Williams has amazing skill as a quarterback. Some say he was a generational talent, but I had him as the second-best quarterback in this class (behind Jayden Daniels). No matter where you had Williams ranked, the Bears moved on from Justin Fields (a former first-round pick himself) to make Williams the unquestioned starter.
With great talent around him, Williams made things look easy against the Buffalo Bills. He went 4-of-7 passing for 95 yards, and Williams also rushed one time for 13 yards. Overall, Williams was keeping his eyes downfield and did seem in command during his debut.
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Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
My favorite quarterback in this class showed great skill in a unique way in his debut. Daniels is an elite-level runner (think Lamar Jackson), and he did rush for a touchdown against the New York Jets. I expect a lot of that this season for the Commanders. Daniels went 2-of-3 passing for 45 yards with 42 of those yards coming on a big play to Dyami Brown.
I want to highlight that play because Daniels changed the play. Head coach Dan Quinn said Daniels was going to ask for forgiveness instead of permission when he changed the play from a shorter route to a big play. Daniels was a special deep passer in college at LSU, and when he sees something he likes – he’s going to take that shot.
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Drake Maye, New England Patriots
I don’t like the landing spot for Maye, and he already enters the league with perhaps the highest bust factor of any of these first-round quarterbacks. Against the Carolina Panthers, Maye didn’t play that much, and he didn’t look great when he did. Maye finished the game 2-of-3 passing for 19 yards.
Maye has been outperformed by veteran Jacoby Brissett per Patriots camp reports. In Week 1 of the preseason, it was fellow rookie Joe Milton who shined. I don’t think Maye is Robert Griffin III compared to Milton being Kirk Cousins, but it’s not a great start.
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Michael Penix Jr, Atlanta Falcons
The best quarterback in this class when all is said and done could be Penix. His release is ugly (left-handed and side armed), but Penix has absolute control about where he wants the ball to go. In a game against the Miami Dolphins, Penix was the starter, and he went 9-of-16 for 104 yards with zero touchdowns and zero interceptions.
That’s not a great completion percentage, but Penix looked in control when he was launching passes down field. He did have a big 41-yard completion to Chris Blair that showcased what kind of passes he’s capable of throwing in the NFL.
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J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
It’s all about fit in the NFL, and I’m not sure McCarthy is a great fit with the Vikings. Their head coach, Kevin O’Connell, may have preferred a passer with a stronger arm and mobility (like Maye). Instead, they go with McCarthy as their guy and he had some ups-and-downs before getting injured.
McCarthy threw an interception early, but he bounced back to finish 11-of-17 passing for 188 yards with two touchdowns. Add in a couple of rushes for 18 yards, and there were plenty of positives to McCarthy’s play. However, on Monday it was revealed that McCarthy suffered a torn meniscus and would have surgery to repair the damage. The extent of the knee injury is not known yet, but McCarthy may end up missing most of his rookie season.
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Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Everything wasn’t smooth for Nix, especially early in the game against the Indianapolis Colts. His first pass was a hospital ball to Greg Dulcich, and Nix threw off his back foot when he didn’t need to. I believe Nix had some nerves to start the game. As he settled down, things got better and I really enjoyed his debut.
Nix went 15-of-21 passing for 131 yards and one touchdown. He also showed off his rushing ability with three carries for 16 yards. We got to see Nix do work in the 2-minute drill, in the red zone, and all over the field. He did a good job leading the team, and Nix could have had even better numbers if Josh Reynolds catches a touchdown pass (instead of mistiming his jump) or if Devaughn Vele ran the correct route in the end zone.
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Summary
Overall, Nix looked really good in his debut. The way he looked on tape in college at Oregon was the way he flashed at times against the Colts. With a good week of practice and another solid preseason performance, Nix likely wins the starting job for Week 1 of the regular season.
