Oregon Ducks, Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix Among Top-10 Most Influential NFL Draftees

Former Oregon Football quarterback and current Denver Broncos rookie Bo Nix is among the top-10 most influential players out of this latest NFL Draft.

May 23, 2024; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) during organized team activities at Centura Health Training Center. / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Influence can be measured a number of ways.

In modern society, one measurement looks directly at social media. That's what Vegas Gems did in their study for most influential players from the most recent NFL Draft.

The study analyzed the social media accounts of the 257 picks from April’s draft to establish the number of followers, the average number of post interactions, and the overall reach each account has. Also studied was the estimated earnings each draftee can acquire through sponsored posts on Instagram, should they decide to monetize their account.

So much focus over the last few years has been on collegiate name, image, likeness (NIL) potential, that some forget professional athletes have had the ability to monetize themselves for decades. This happens when businesses and brands pay athletes to act as ambassadors, endorsing the company or their products by posting about them or their products on social media.

Oregon quarterback Bo Nix throws down field against Oregon State during the second quarter at Autzen Stadium Friday, Nov. 24, 2023 in Eugene. / Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA

Former Oregon quarterback and Denver Broncos rookie Bo Nix comes in at No. 7 on the list, five spots higher than his draft position. Nix has nearly 350,000 followers on Instagram. That places him in position to make an estimated $4,672 for a single post to the social media site.

Other Oregon draftees in the top 100: No. 37 Troy Franklin (Denver Broncos) and No. 70 Jackson Powers-Johnson (Las Vegas Raiders).

Taking the top spot is former Michigan quarterback and current Minnesota Vikings rookie J.J. McCarthy. The No. 10 overall pick boasts an Instagram following of 550,000 and receives an average of 94,000 likes per post on the platform. With this, the former Wolverine is expected to reach as many as 123,000 Instagram accounts with just one posted photograph and one Instagram story, from which it’s estimated he could earn as much as $6,640 per sponsored post.

"With the NFL being the most attended and the most profitable sports league in the US, its newest stars constitute great assets for their teams in a multitude of ways, including ones off of the field," Josh Lingenfelter of Vegas Gems said. "With their mammoth followings, these top ten influential NFL prospects have the potential to build brands for themselves, as well as contributing to the sport as a whole, and to their franchises. It’s always interesting to see which athletes will flourish within the game, and within popular culture, and these young men are certainly likely candidates to do so."

Also on the top-10 list are Keon Coleman (Florida State/Buffalo Bills), Xavier Worthy (Texas/Kansas City Chiefs), Marvin Harrison Jr. (Ohio State/Arizona Cardinals), Caleb Williams (USC/Chicago Bears), Spencer Rattler (South Carolina/New Orleans Saints), Jayden Daniels (LSU/Washington Commanders), Drake Maye (North Carolina/New England Patriots), and Ricky Pearsall (Florida/San Francisco 49ers).

---

Stay up to date on all things Oregon Ducks by visiting Oregon Ducks on SI daily and following Oregon Ducks on SI on Facebook and X.