If we were to go back and check the temperature around Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix one month into his rookie season — almost exactly one year ago — we would probably need a jacket. Because things were pretty frosty.
Still, while Nix didn’t throw a touchdown pass until his fourth game, the Broncos were 2-2 after that first month. That’s mostly because Nix, as he was getting accustomed to the passing game, wasn’t scared to tuck the ball and run.
While Nix eventually started to throw the ball at an elite level, he proved he could win games with his feet as well as his arm. That display of athleticism has made him probably the NFL’s most underrated dual threat quarterback headed into his second season.
Nix finished 2024 with 430 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns — including 259 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns through the first 8 games.
“Nix is a better dual threat than people realize, and can rack up fantasy points with his legs as much as his arm,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on August 23.
Nix Was ‘Undercover Elite’ Rushing QB in College
Just like in the NFL, Nix’s passing prowess overshadowed what was a pretty elite rushing quarterback as he set the NCAA record with 61 career starts over 5 seasons at Auburn and Oregon.
As a senior in 2024, Nix led the NCAA in both touchdown passes (45) and completion percentage (77.4) while throwing for 4,508 yards to go with 228 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns.
While those are pretty solid rushing numbers for a quarterback, they pale in comparison to what he did in his first year as Oregon’s starter in 2023, when he rushed for career highs of 510 yards and a whopping 14 touchdowns while he averaged 5.7 yards per carry.
In 5 college seasons, Nix rushed for 1,613 yards, 38 touchdowns and averaged 4.0 yards per carry.
Nix’s Counterpart Set NFL Rookie Rushing Record
Another reason we probably don’t collectively think much of Nix’s skills as a running quarterback are because last year’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, set the NFL rookie rushing record with 891 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Nix was selected at No. 12 overall in the 2024 NFL draft and was one of a record-setting 6 quarterbacks taken in the first round. What’s interesting about that group is 4 of those quarterbacks finished in the Top 10 in NFL quarterback rushing yards last season with Daniels at No. 2, Chicago’s Caleb Williams at No. 7 (489 yards), Nix at No. 8 and New England’s Drake Maye at No. 9 (421 yards), although Maye did his damage in just 13 games — 4 less than the other 3 quarterbacks.
In 2025, the Broncos hope they’ve set up the offense so Nix, who signed a 4-year, $18.6 million rookie contract, won’t have to run nearly as much. They did that by improving their 2 weakest positions on the roster.
At tight end, the Broncos signed free agent Evan Engram to give them another elite pass catching option behind wide receiver Courtland Sutton.
At running back, the Broncos used their 2025 second round pick (No. 60 overall) on UCF’s RJ Harvey, who rushed for over 1,400 yards each of his last 2 college seasons, then doubled down by signing free agent J.K. Dobbins to a 1-year, $2 million contract. Dobbins rushed for 905 yards and 9 touchdowns in 13 games for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post $18 Million Broncos Star Called ‘Most Underrated’ Dual Threat QB appeared first on Heavy Sports.