Bo Nix at 2024 NFL Combine: Measurements, Highlights and Reaction

Mike Chiari@@mikechiariFeatured Columnist IVMarch 2, 2024

Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Oregon quarterback Bo Nix put his arm on display Saturday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis as one of the only top quarterbacks who opted to take part in throwing drills.

USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels are all viewed as likely top-five picks, but none of them threw Saturday, which opened the door for Nix and some of the other quarterbacks with first-round aspirations to potentially improve their stock.

Nix entered the combine as the most experienced quarterback in the draft, having started an NCAA-record 61 games, but there were still some question marks he was tasked with answering.

Perhaps chief among them was whether he had the arm strength needed to be an effective quarterback at the NFL level.

Although that won’t truly be learned until Nix partakes in NFL game situations, he acquitted himself well in that regard at the combine, including hitting a perfect deep ball:

NFL @NFLThe QBs are putting on a show with the deep balls.

A beauty from @BoNix10

📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/tuTV2cB4mc

He also showcased a strong enough arm to put the ball on the money during the deep corner drill:

NFL @NFLBo Nix throwing outside the numbers 🎯 @BoNix10

📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/locWUafk4Y

Nix was in a throwing velocity drill as well, and he was clocked at 58 mph, which was just slightly behind Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy at 61 mph and Tennessee’s Joe Milton at 62 mph:

NFL @NFLWhich QB from this group threw it the hardest? 👀

📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/jPHtaZh1ho

In addition to participating in throwing drills, Nix measured and weighed in at the combine, registering at 6’2⅛” and 214 pounds with 30⅞” arms, a 74¼” wingspan and 10⅛” hands, per Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports.

Nix, who began his college career at Auburn before transferring to Oregon for his final two seasons, is coming off a massive 2023 season.

The 24-year-old signal-caller completed a remarkable 77.4 percent of his passes for 4,508 yards, 45 touchdowns and just three interceptions, while also rushing for 234 yards and six touchdowns en route to finishing third in the Heisman Trophy voting and winning the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year Award.

An argument can be made that Nix benefited from playing in a quarterback-friendly offense with explosive playmakers around him, but he still made the right play the vast majority of the time.

Nix’s age and arm strength questions are keeping him out of the conversation with Williams, Maye and Daniels, however, he is very much entrenched in the next tier with McCarthy, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. and South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler.

Sneaking into the first round is a possibility for Nix, but if not, he should be in a solid position to be a Day 2 pick.

Nix’s next opportunity to impress NFL scouts and general managers will come on March 12 when Oregon hosts its pro day.