Bo Nix Drafted No. 12 Overall By Denver Broncos in NFL Draft

750 The Game Staff

Another Oregon Duck was taken in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night, and this time, it was quarterback Bo Nix.

Nix is headed to the Denver Broncos where Sean Payton selected the Ducks quarterback with the 12th overall pick of the NFL Draft.

Nix was already the sixth quarterback taken in the first twelve picks of the draft. Caleb Williams went first overall to the Bears, while Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, Michael Penix, Jr., and J.J. McCarthy all were taken in the first ten selections.

More from the Oregon Ducks press release:

Nix Selected 12th Overall by Broncos

EUGENE, Ore. — Oregon quarterback Bo Nix was selected by the Denver Broncos with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday night.

Nix becomes the seventh Duck quarterback ever to be drafted in the first round, joining Justin Herbert (2020), Marcus Mariota (2015), Joey Harrington (2002), Akili Smith (1999), Chris Miller (1987) and George Shaw (1955).

Oregon has now had a first-round pick in five straight NFL Drafts, with Nix following Penei Sewell (2021), Herbert, Kayvon Thibodeaux (2022) and Christian Gonzalez (2023).

Oregon now has 22 total first-round picks in program history, including 10 since 2013 and 13 since 2000. Nix becomes the first Duck ever to be taken by the Broncos in the first round and the 10th overall to be drafted by Denver, reuniting with former center Alex Forsyth who was a seventh-round pick in 2023.

The fourth Heisman Trophy finalist in program history and fourth Duck to be named the conference offensive player of the year, Nix put together one of the greatest seasons ever by an Oregon quarterback in 2023 to cap his collegiate career. He led the nation in passing touchdowns (45) while ranking second in passing yards per game (322.0), passing yards (4,508) and passer rating (188.32), and he set a new NCAA single-season record with a stellar 77.45 completion percentage (364-of-470).

Nix set Oregon single-season records for completions, passing yards and passing touchdowns, and became the first Duck ever to surpass 4,500 passing yards in a season. He also threw just three interceptions, becoming the first FBS player since at least 2000 to record at least 45 passing touchdowns and no more than three picks in a season.

A native of Pinson, Ala., Nix left Oregon as the program’s all-time leader in completion percentage at 74.9 (658-of-879), and he is the only UO quarterback ever to post a completion percentage of 70.0 or better in a season, also doing so in 2022 (71.9, 294-of-409). Despite playing just two seasons in Eugene, Nix also ranks third in program history in career completions (658), third in passing touchdowns (74) and fifth in passing yards (8,101).

Nix was also the winner of the 2023 William V. Campbell Trophy, presented to the nation’s top scholar-athlete for the best combination of academic success, athletic performance and exemplary leadership.

Oregon All-Time First Round Picks
2024 – QB Bo Nix, No. 12 (Denver Broncos)

2023 – DB Christian Gonzalez, No. 17 (New England Patriots)
2022 – DE Kayvon Thibodeaux, No. 5 (New York Giants)
2021 – OT Penei Sewell, No. 7 (Detroit Lions)
2020 – QB Justin Herbert, No. 6 (Los Angeles Chargers)
2016 – DE DeForest Buckner, No. 7 (San Francisco 49ers)
2015 – QB Marcus Mariota, No. 2 (Tennessee Titans)
2015 – DT Arik Armstead, No. 15 (San Francisco 49ers)
2013 – OLB Dion Jordan, No. 3 (Miami Dolphins)
2013 – OG Kyle Long, No. 20 (Chicago Bears)
2008 – RB Jonathan Stewart, No. 13 (Carolina Panthers)
2006 – DT Haloti Ngata, No. 12 (Baltimore Ravens)
2002 – QB Joey Harrington, No. 3 (Detroit Lions)
1999 – QB Akili Smith, No. 3 (Cincinnati Bengals)
1996 – DB Alex Molden, No. 11 (New Orleans Saints)
1987 – QB Chris Miller, No. 13 (Atlanta Falcons)
1976 – DB Mario Clark, No. 18 (Buffalo Bills)
1975 – TE Russ Francis, No. 16 (New England Patriots)
1972 – WR Ahmad Rashad, No. 4 (St. Louis Cardinals)
1972 – OT Tim Drougas, No. 22 (Baltimore Colts)
1968 – DB Jim Smith, No. 12 (Washington)
1955 – QB George Shaw, No. 1 (Baltimore Colts)