Bo Nix, QB, Oregon (Senior)
Valentin
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Strengths :
- Athletic
- Good arm
- Ability to create outside of structure
- Mastery of simple passing concepts
- Excellent management of the quick game
- IQ
Weaknesses :
- Age
- Footwork
- pocket presence
- Simplicity of Oregon's system
- Process post-snap
- Ability to attack the third level
- Inconsistency in overall play
TTProfil
Bo Nix is on the lower end in terms of NFL standard size but has a good distribution of muscle mass. He is a very good athlete, with excellent quickness, good acceleration, and the speed to attack the third level. He possesses good agility and change-of-direction abilities in tight spaces, but it's worth noting that, in my opinion, he seemed to have lost some of his elite athleticism in his final year at Oregon.
Nix has a very good arm; he can generate velocity on his short and intermediate throws. However, I've observed inconsistency because he doesn't always transfer his weight onto his front leg. He lacks touch and precision on deep passes, often delivering the ball with poor placement, sometimes inside the shoulders, and frequently overthrows his targets.
His throwing mechanics aren't always compact, mainly due to his lower body not being properly anchored to the ground. His footwork doesn't help him find stability, which can introduce inconsistencies in his upper body, resulting in imprecise throws, poor ball placement, and unpredictable anticipation, hindering his receivers' ability to gain yards after the catch. He's capable of throwing off-platform (from different angles); his arm is flexible and doesn't show any real issues with precision or power in this aspect. He also possesses a solid ability to throw on the move, whether to the left or right.
He has a very average to poor footwork at times and inconsistent drop-backs, which prevent him from staying calm and scanning the field or adjusting under pressure. Too often, he panics under pressure and tries to escape the pocket without apparent reason. It's noticeable that he frequently exits the pocket instead of re-engaging vertically within it. He is a good creator and capable of extending plays, but his pocket presence is quite average because he often seeks to play outside the structured offense instead of within it. His constant tendency to play outside the structured offense whenever he faces pressure or when his initial read isn't favorable is a problem.
His pre-snap process is decent, although Oregon's system is very simple and doesn't require many adjustments. However, his post-snap process is quite limited. He doesn't always allow his receivers' routes to develop and can be affected by potential pressure (even though he had one of the best offensive lines in college football). I question his ability to consistently read opposing blitzes and safeties. Sometimes, he takes a long time to release the ball when he needs to make multiple reads, often relying on his legs to create plays off-script for his receivers.
Bo Nix had a very good offensive line at Oregon and playmakers at the receiving positions. I would have liked to see more complete reads of the field because he had the time, but too often it resulted in check-downs or short passes when there were better opportunities available. While his tendency to take what's in front of him is good, he'll need to be much more aggressive in attacking different levels of the field in the NFL. The Oregon system encouraged this approach, but his struggles to play within the structure and be less conservative mean he'll need time to adapt to the NFL. At 24 years old (February 2000), needing time to develop is a concern because by the end of his rookie contract, he'll be 29. With all these issues of inconsistency in his game, his inability to consistently attack the third level, and his potential challenging transition to the NFL, I believe Bo will be somewhere between a very good backup and a possible starter if everything goes well and he finds himself in a system that allows him to often play outside the structure and emphasizes a quick game with simple passing concepts.
I assess Bo Nix as a talent worthy of a 4th-round draft pick, but it's primarily his age that led me to lean towards the middle of the 3rd round to the 4th round.