Seahawks Draft Profile: How would Oregon QB Bo Nix fit?

Apr 10, 2024, 1:56 PM

Bo Nix of the Oregon Ducks throws a pass on Jan. 1, 2024. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

(Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Seattle Sports

Bo Nix, Oregon’s star passer, isn’t likely to go at No. 16 overall. Honestly, he’s most often been mocked in the second round. We also know the Seattle Seahawks have Geno Smith under contract and sent draft picks to Washington for young backup Sam Howell.

Why Bo Nix is like ex-Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson

So, what – if anything – are fans supposed to make of a report that the Seahawks met with Nix in a pre-draft visit?

The most obvious (and most boring) takeaway is that this is simply general manager John Schneider doing his due diligence with multiple passers; the team will reportedly meet with South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler, was in attendance watching Michael Penix Jr. at Washington’s pro day, and in previous years Schneider has attended pro days for top quarterback prospects.

For the sake of exploring the more fun option, though, Stacy Rost and Michael Bumpus looked at Nix as a potential fit for the Seahawks in their latest 2024 NFL Draft preview.

Why not take a look?

Nix the leader

Bump praised Nix’s intangibles as a quarterback.

“I can speak on who he is as a person,” Bumpus said. “I had the chance to speak to him last year in a golf tournament. And a lot of people are jockeying for his attention at these events. And I watched him. And every person he spoke to he gave his undivided attention, looked you in the eye, good, firm handshake. And it gave me the feeling of a leader; a guy I can imagine being extremely calm in the huddle relaying information to his guys.”

Oregon’s head coach Dan Lanning heaped praise on his passer for those qualities.

“A lot of people think they’re leaders, but they’re not really self-aware,” Lanning told ESPN during Nix’s Heisman campaign. “There’s probably not a more self-aware person in the world than Bo Nix… he’s out there and is able to lead and communicate with other players on our team.”

He’s more mobile than you think

Nix may not have the ceiling of a more dynamic player like Caleb Williams or Jayden Daniels, but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t have the right weapons.

Nix shined most here in 2022 when he rushed for 510 yards (a whopping 5.7 yards per carry) and 14 touchdowns. He remained in the pocket more in 2023 and saw those numbers dip (on the flip side, he had 4,508 passing yards and 45 passing touchdowns). That production made him one of the nation’s top passers but also might’ve had some college football fans forgetting how effective he could be scrambling.

“I don’t think people see him as an extremely mobile player, but he’s mobile,” Bump said. “He’s a new-age quarterback. You don’t have to be Lamar Jackson, you’ve just got to be able to extend plays and be an athlete. When you put on the film, he’s not going to wow you with a 50-yard gain. But he can do enough. He can pick up a first down, he can scramble, he can extend plays. He’s a better athlete than people think.”

A surprising NFL comp

Bump highlighted Nix’s mechanics in the backfield and likened him to a future Hall of Famer.

“His mechanics… it’s super compact. It’s a quick release. He gets the football out. There are no wasted movements. When you get to the next level those windows are gonna close a lot faster, so it’s good he’s able to get the football out nice and quick…

“Now let’s talk about his mechanics in the backfield,” Bump said. “I love Aaron Rodgers for a bunch of reasons as a player, but one of the reasons is that he’s a magician with the football in play action. He knows how to hide it and he’s good with his mesh points, and I see that with Nix. He’s not as smooth as Rodgers but I think he can get there. He’s good with his mesh points, he always has a good base, and he has good pocket presence… he doesn’t look like he gets happy feet and panics back there.”