Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix played five years in college and he’s 24 years old going into his first season in the NFL (just six months younger than fourth-year QB Zach Wilson).
One downside to being an older rookie is that his potential pro career window is slightly shorter, but there are positives, too.
“I would say, you can feel his 61 games played in college,” Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said of Nix on June 12. “With experience, a calmness comes along with it. So he certainly doesn’t feel like a rookie. He’s learning a brand-new system, so whether you’re a veteran or a rookie coming in, that’s common to all these people.
“He has seen a lot and doesn’t make the same mistake twice very often. There is a maturity level. I think when you draft a guy who is a little bit older, you hope that that comes with it, but he’s certainly shown that.”
Nix is five years younger than his quarterbacks coach, Davis Webb.
“Bo is a great kid,” Webb said. “He’s been really good out here. … I think he is coming along just nicely.”
Jarrett Stidham has an advantage in the QB competition this summer because he’s entering his second year in the offense, but Nix will get an opportunity to climb the depth chart during training camp and preseason. Lombardi was asked at the end of mandatory minicamp about what has surprised him about the rookie QB.
“The good thing is there haven’t been a lot of surprises,” Lombardi said. “What we thought we saw, what we hoped we saw, I think has shown itself this spring. So maybe a little bit more of a dry sense of humor as you get to know the guy better, but as far as a player, I think what we saw and what we hoped we were getting, so far he’s been as advertised.”
Nix hasn’t been perfect — Webb noted that he’s made some rookie mistakes like all rookies do — but he’s certainly off to a good start in Denver. Judging from the comments from the Broncos’ coaching staff, it seems safe to assume Nix is a legitimate contender for the starting job.
