Bo Nix mock draft 2024: Best fits for Oregon QB, from Broncos to Raiders

Every quarterback class, without fail, has a wild card or two. While no prospect is necessarily a sure thing, evaluators generally aren’t split on Caleb Williams or Drake Maye. Even Jayden Daniels is a consensus top-10 pick in most mock drafts.

For other signal-callers, opinions are all over the board. Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy has his share of believers and detractors, making him perhaps the most polarizing quarterback in the 2024 draft. If that’s the case, Oregon’s Bo Nix is a close second.

Nix didn’t look much like an NFL prospect during his three seasons at Auburn, but he lit up the scoreboard in two years with the Ducks and molded himself into a potential first-round pick. 

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The numbers were stellar. Nix clearly gained confidence at Oregon, and it paid dividends. How much of his success was the result of the Ducks’ offensive system? It’s true that Nix largely played within the system, as he entered the Fiesta Bowl 120th in the nation with only 6.4 air yards per pass attempt.

Still, the Chiefs just won a Super Bowl by sticking to intermediate throws more than ever before. Playing within a system is a skill, as Patrick Mahomes’ Super Bowl opponent, Brock Purdy, also proved. Could Nix be entering the NFL at just the right time?

All it takes is one team to believe in Nix for the 24-year-old to become a high first-round pick. Here’s a look at where mock drafts are sending Nix and which teams could be the best fits for his services in April.

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Bo Nix NFL mock draftSN’s own Vinnie Iyer projects the Raiders to draft Nix 13th overall in April, bringing the Oregon product in as the franchise’s instant solution at quarterback after a tumultuous 2023 season.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., however, doesn’t have Nix coming off the board in the first round at this point. Neither does NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah in his latest mock.

On the other hand, CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso projects Nix to be selected 27th overall by the Cardinals, explaining that the 24-year-old is simply too good of a value to pass up on despite the franchise’s apparent commitment to QB Kyler Murray.

That about sums up Nix’s status right now. He could go early in the first round, he could go late in the first round, or he could fall to Day 2 altogether. Quarterbacks are prone to especially prolonged falls on draft night, but it’s rare that a signal-caller’s stock is all over the board entering the NFL Combine.

That makes the combine a critical proving ground for Nix, who could either justify his believers or add fuel to the fire for his detractors with mere weeks until the NFL Draft. 

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Bo Nix best fitsBroncosSean Payton likely has a bit more job security than Josh McDaniels did a year ago, but simply put, he cannot make the same mistake the Raiders did by releasing Derek Carr and not having a plan to replace him. Jimmy Garoppolo was predictably ineffective under center for the Raiders, and the Broncos can’t go the same route by releasing Russell Wilson and entering 2024 without some kind of long-term plan. Enter Bo Nix.

J.J. McCarthy has been closely connected to the Broncos in mock drafts, but what if McCarthy impresses in pre-draft workouts and comes off the board earlier? The Falcons are a potential landing spot for the Michigan quarterback at No. 8. If so, Nix might be an option — whether at No. 12 or more likely via a trade down — for Denver.

RaidersThe Raiders share a division with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert, as well as three head coaches who have led at least one team to the Super Bowl. They need a quarterback, and they need one now.

Aidan O’Connell had a few positive moments as a rookie, but it would be shortsighted for Las Vegas to go all-in on the Purdue product in 2024. Unfortunately, the success the team found under then-interim coach Antonio Pierce made finding a franchise quarterback more challenging. The Raiders don’t pick until 13th overall in April, putting the top tier of signal-callers out of reach.

If GM Tom Telesco considers Nix to be part of that next tier, the Heisman Trophy finalist could get a chance to be Las Vegas’ quarterback of the present and future.

PatriotsThe Patriots will not be selecting Nix third overall in April, but if they use that pick on Marvin Harrison Jr. and hold off on a quarterback, Nix could absolutely be in play early on Day 2. New England reportedly met with Nix at the NFL Combine, and the franchise badly needs an addition to its quarterback room under the new regime of Head of Football Operations Eliot Wolf and coach Jerod Mayo.

If the Patriots aren’t sold on Jayden Daniels or McCarthy in the first round, it might make sense to take the best player available in Harrison and hand him to whichever quarterback gets selected later on. New England holds the 34th overall pick, so the front office could either trade back into the end of the first round for Nix or simply hope he falls to Day 2. 

MORE: Patriots targeting quarterback early in NFL Draft

SeahawksGeno Smith certainly seems like he will be the Seahawks’ Week 1 starter in 2024, but there is reason to believe his status in Seattle isn’t set in stone long-term. The Seahawks made no secret that they were interested in Anthony Richardson in 2023, both before and after the draft, and Smith’s unsteady second season as Seattle’s starter left the door open for a quarterback change before the franchise restructured his contract in February.

It’s important to note that Pete Carroll is no longer in control in Seattle, but GM John Schneider remains in place. A quarterback in the middle of the first round is unlikely, but the Seahawks are a team to watch if either Nix or Michael Penix Jr. slides well into the second round. 

Bo Nix college stats Season School Starts CMP% Yards TD INT Rush YDS Rush TD 2019 Auburn 13 57.6 2,542 16 6 313 7 2020 Auburn 11 59.9 2,415 12 7 388 7 2021 Auburn 10 61.0 2,294 11 3 168 4 2022 Oregon 13 71.9 3,593 29 7 510 14 2023 Oregon 14 77.4 4,508 45 3 234 6 Total   61 66.4 15,352 113 26 1,613 38