Caleb Williams was the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft. No one expected anything else. However, Bo Nix went at No. 12 to the Denver Broncos, just 11 spots lower. Most pundits and analysts weren’t expecting a selection that high and that early in the draft. Is Bo Nix really in Caleb Williams’ league? We’ll find out soon enough, and Nix will get a chance to prove himself in Denver. However, there’s one really important reason Williams — at least on paper — outdistances Nix as an NFL draft prospect.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA TODAY Sports spelled it out, noting how much pressure there is on Broncos coach Sean Payton to turn Nix into the quarterback he thinks Nix can become:
“As an older prospect with five years of starting experience, Nix might have limited growth potential. But what you see might not be what you get, as Oregon’s offense frequently afforded him easy quick hitters. He’ll have to hang onto the ball longer to let plays develop, which could prove taxing.
“Ultimately, the pick points back to Payton, who had a calamitous first season in Denver and still faces a tough outlook for 2024. If the coach can get Nix up to speed quickly, the decision will surely be celebrated. But Nix’s margin of error appears to have shrunk considerably as he jumps to the next level, and rocky outings in the Rockies will invite heightened scrutiny for the coach given how poorly his tenure started.”
Ducks Wire has noted how Bo Nix received a clean pocket on a consistent basis at Oregon. Caleb Williams did not have clean pockets very regularly at USC in 2023. He did have a lot more clean pockets in 2022, and he won the Heisman Trophy. Caleb and Nix — if given the same level of pass protection — don’t produce the same level of results. Caleb has a much higher ceiling.
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