The Denver Broncos took Oregon quarterback Bo Nix with the No. 12 pick in the 2024 NFL draft. While the Broncos did not intend to send a message to Caleb Williams, and while Nix himself is not focused on Caleb, the pick definitely conveyed a specific line of thought. Very simply, Caleb Williams is not all that better than Bo Nix.
USC fans will tell you that Caleb Williams is a lot better than Nix, but in 2023, Nix clearly had the better season. Last year, Nix led Oregon to the Pac-12 Championship Game and an 11-win regular season, which is what Caleb did one year earlier when he won the Heisman Trophy. USC fans will come back and say — correctly — that Caleb lacked the pass protection in 2023 which he enjoyed in 2022. Bo Nix had a very clean pocket last year at Oregon. So, when NFL draft analysts talk about Nix’s accuracy, they’re not mentioning how much time Nix had to find the right receiver. Give Caleb and Nix equal time in the pocket, and Caleb’s quality will emerge in full.
Nix being taken at No. 12, and Michael Penix going at No. 8, puts very little distance between Caleb Williams and the other top Pac-12 quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL draft class. It’s time for Caleb to prove that he is far better than those other two Pac-12 signal-callers.
Visit our friends at Fighting Irish Wire, Buffaloes Wire, and Ducks Wire. Follow our newest sites, UW Huskies Wire and UCLA Wire.
Check out more NFL draft coverage with the USA TODAY Sports NFL Draft Hub.