If you ask a Denver Broncos fan about the team’s 2024 NFL draft class, the conversation will start with Bo Nix and it might end with Troy Franklin, his favorite receiver at Oregon who was picked by Denver in the fourth round.
It’s understandable that fans are excited about Nix — the NFL is a quarterback-driven league and the Broncos haven’t had a QB capable of dragging them back to the playoffs since Peyton Manning’s retirement in 2016. So everyone’s focused on the QB, and that’s OK, but the club’s second pick also deserves some hype.
Jonah Elliss was picked by Denver in the third round (the Broncos did not hold a second-round pick) after recording 12 sacks at Utah last fall. Elliss understands the hype that follows a first-round QB, and he’s even been bitten by the bug himself.
“It’s going to be awesome,” Ellis said on April 26 during a call with reporters when asked about playing with Nix in the pros. “I know he’s a quarterback who threw the ball really fast. It was really frustrating playing against him because any time I was close, he would get rid of the ball. I’m really excited to play with him. I know he’s a great man too, a man of God, so I’m really excited to build that relationship with him, too.”
Nix went 2-0 against Utah at Oregon, completing 72.1% of his passes for 535 yards with three touchdowns against one interception. He also rushed for one touchdown against the Utes.
“He got rid of the ball really freaking fast,” Elliss said when asked for his scouting report of the QB. “We knew and I had a couple of hurries on him, but I never got there. I’m excited to watch him play because I don’t think he will get sacked many times. He gets rid of the ball so stinking fast.”
Nix’s signature quick release has drawn comparisons to Drew Brees — those kinds of comparisons are perhaps a bit premature, but that’s first-roun QB hype. Even Elliss understands — and feeds — the hype machine. It’s going to be a fun summer in Colorado.
