Would Broncos Take QB Bo Nix at No. 12 in a Post-OTA Re-Draft? B/R Weighs In

Do the Denver Broncos have "buyer's remorse" on Bo Nix?

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton and rookie quarterback Bo Nix. / Ben Swanson/Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos received a lot of blowback for drafting Oregon quarterback Bo Nix at No. 12 overall. The critics decried Sean Payton's handpicked decision, claiming the Broncos "reached" on Nix.

With the entire NFL offseason now in the books, nothing Nix has done has called Denver's decision to draft him in the first round into question. But what if the NFL was allowed a post-OTA do-over? A post-OTA re-draft?

Bleacher Report's Matt Holder undertook such a venture, and while he had the New England Patriots passing on Drake Maye at No. 3 overall in a post-OTA re-draft, as well as the Atlanta Falcons going a different direction than Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8, Nix was still the pick for Denver at No. 12 overall.

Others may disagree about the coach's and organization's evaluation of the quarterback, but Nix doesn't appear to be giving Denver any buyer's remorse so far.

- Matt Holder/Bleacher Report

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Following the actual 2024 draft, Holder gave the Broncos a lackluster grade for their haul. With a C+, the B/R writer, on one hand, claimed that Nix wasn't a "first-round-caliber prospect," while on the other, said that the pick "made some sense."

"With five quarterbacks going in the top 10, the Denver Broncos decided to reach for Oregon signal-caller Bo Nix. In a vacuum, it's a surprise because Nix simply isn't a first-round-caliber prospect. He was the 61st-ranked prospect on the B/R board and one who carries plenty of risk.

"Given the lack of quarterback talent after the top six, though, flipping the switch here made some sense. That doesn't mean that it was a valuable pick or one that will ensure that Denver turns the proverbial corner," Holder wrote on April 28.

Holder's fuzzy math aside, the bottom line is that Nix was always going in the first round. Payton has said that people who say otherwise "don't know what they're talking about," divulging information the Broncos had gathered of teams behind them planning on taking the Heisman Trophy finalist.

"When I hear people say, 'This guy, he could have gotten in the second or third round,' I know they don’t know what they’re talking about," Payton said on the Unbreakable podcast.

For those draftniks still clutching pearls over Nix's first-round worthiness, it must hurt to read nothing, and literally, I mean, nothing but good buzz about the rookie during the offseason training program. From Payton to his offensive assistants to Nix's veteran teammates and team insiders, the rookie first-rounder has roundly received nothing but praise.

With Nix being "as advertised" so far, Denver taking him again in a post-OTA re-draft makes perfect sense. Payton was enamored with Nix. The veteran coach was so taken that he initially cooked up an idea to show up at the QB's house to announce the Broncos' pick before being ultimately dissuaded by NFL insider Jay Glazer.

Nix hasn't been named the starter yet, so he still has that obstacle ahead of him. The Broncos' quarterback competition is set to resume later this month when training camp begins on July 26.

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