Bo Nix improving his NFL Draft stock leading up to Senior Bowl
Oregon quarterback Bo Nix drops back to attempt a pass during Senior Bowl practice Thursday February 1, 2023 at Hancock Whitney Stadium. (Lynn Harrington/stayaliveinpower5)
MOBILE, Ala. — After three intense scrimmages the former Oregon quarterback has built some momentum heading into the Senior Bowl Saturday afternoon.
Bo Nix is back in his home state, and grew up in Dinson, which is 273 miles from where he’ll be playing at Hancock Whitney Stadium. He appears to be very comfortable navigating through his path to the NFL Draft, which shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering Nix is one of the most experienced gunslingers in the nation.
Competing with the best of the best, like Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., and Notre Dame’s Sam Hartman, means Nix has to put his best foot forward. However, the gunslinger is more concerned with impressing the NFL scouts with his actions off the field.
“I think it’s more about the operation and how you lead, how you interact with the players, the interview process, there’s a lot along those lines,” Nix said. “They’re not worried about what we’re doing on the field, because they’ve already seen us in a competitive environment.”
Nix struggled through the first day of Senior Bowl practice, but finished the final scrimmage on a high note. Several Draft analysts believe he has tremendous upside as a passer at the next level. After all, Nix led the entire FBS in completion percentage last season. Not to mention he led the Pac-12, and was second in the country in passing efficiency. On top of that Nix is a gamer, and led the Ducks to back-to-back double-digit win campaigns, which included two bowl victories.
Although he’s starting to receive first round consideration on some mock drafts, Nix has his critics too. He took most of his snaps out of the shotgun at Oregon, and was barely under center, which will change in the NFL. Regardless, Nix is confident in what he brings to the table, to whatever team that’s interested in him.
“My knowledge of the game, I just want them to understand the efficiency and the productivity that we had at Oregon the last two years,” he said. “The freedom that we had, what it looked like and operated overall as an offense, and at the same time they can watch film and see everything they need to know.”
Nix also has a few of his former teammates joining him in the event, including Brandon Dorlus, Jackson Powers-Johnson and Khyree Jackson. That’s why the Alabama native is feeling no pressure approaching the game Saturday. Nix wants to leave it all out on the field, and no matter what type of performance he has, the 23-year old understands the Senior Bowl is just the start of his grueling process to the next level.
It helps that his journey has been all about perseverance. The six-foot-one, 218-pounder was a starter in the Almighty SEC at Auburn for three seasons, and even won an Iron Bowl. There’s no denying the Pac-12 was the best Power Five conference last year, so the experience, leadership and production is there. Now it’s time for the former five-star prospect to take advantage of the spotlight one last time.
“Just being myself and letting it come naturally, if it’s going to happen, it going to naturally happen, but it’s hard to separate when you got guys like Sam and Michael around.”
