Broncos First Round Pick Moves Up Rookie Rankings After ‘Best Game’ as Pro

Getty Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix.

It’s kind of hard to believe that it’s only been 1 month since Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix had one of the worst games in modern NFL history where his team still managed to win a game after he went 12-of-25 passing for 60 yards in a 10-9 win over the New York Jets in Week 4.

While some might focus on the numbers, that might be missing the point. Nix won against the Jets. And he really hasn’t stopped winning since.

Now, it seems like Nix might be coming into his own following a 28-14 win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 8 where he threw for career-highs of 284 yards and 3 touchdowns while also running for a touchdown.

After starting the season 0-2, the Broncos have won 5 of 6 games ahead of a Week 9 game at the Baltimore Ravens.

Nix’s play landed him a spot in the “Names to Watch” section of the Bleacher Report Rookie Rankings from Brent Sobleski on October 29.

“The Broncos have quietly won five of their last six games, with Nix improving along the way,” Sobleski wrote. “This year’s 12th overall draft pick played his best game against the Carolina Panthers’ woeful defense. He threw for a career-high 284 yards and three touchdowns. He has an eight-to-one touchdown-to-interception ratio over the last four contests.”

Nix was one of three rookie quarterbacks to make the rankings along with Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (No. 8) and Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (No. 1).

Denver Needs Nix to Regain Record-Setting Ways

Nix’s early struggles didn’t reflect a quarterback who set a myriad of NCAA records during his time at Oregon, where he threw for 4,508 yards and led the FBS with 51 total touchdowns and set the FBS single-season record by completing 77.4 percent of his passes in 2023.

Nix also walked away from college with the FBS record for quarterbacks with 61 career starts across 5 seasons at Auburn and Oregon — all reasons why the Broncos selected him No. 12 overall in the 2024 NFL draft. Nix was one of a record-tying 6 quarterbacks taken in the first round in 2024.

After winning the Broncos’ starting quarterback job in the preseason, Nix didn’t throw his first touchdown pass as a pro until Week 4 in the win over the Jets.

After throwing 4 interceptions in his first 3 games, Nix has 8 touchdown passes and just 1 interception in his last 5 games. All signs of a quarterback learning on the job, and getting better every single week.

Broncos Trying to End Lengthy Playoff Drought

Nix’s play will probably be the most significant factor in whether or not the Broncos end a playoff drought that stretches back almost a decade — the franchise hasn’t made the playoffs since winning the Super Bowl following the 2015 season.

The 2024 team does have something in common with that 2015 team in that they are both teams who were both built on defense.

The 2015 Broncos were quarterbacked by Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler when Manning was injured, but it was the defense who came through in the end — underlined by edge rusher Von Miller bringing home Super Bowl MVP honors after a 24-10 win over the Panthers in Super Bowl 50.