Oregon

The Broncos waited and waited, then made a franchise-sized bet on Oregon QB Bo Nix: “I just appreciate the value that they had in me”

Published

1 week ago

April 25, 2024

The Broncos waited and waited, then made a franchise-sized bet on Oregon QB Bo Nix: “I just appreciate the value that they had in me”

So many months, meetings and miles later, the Broncos’ first-round plan proved so simple it translates into two letters.

Bo.

Denver set its course for the future and coach Sean Payton put his quarterback evaluation chops on the line in a major way Thursday night by selecting Oregon quarterback Bo Nix at No. 12.

Nix, a six-year college player who started 61 games and put up prodigious numbers the past two years running the Ducks offense, all along felt like a clean fit from a scheme standpoint. He was not, however, considered a particularly good value in the first half of the first round.

In recent years, however, quarterbacks have been picked earlier and earlier. Never faster and more furiously than this night.

USC’s Caleb Williams, LSU’s Jayden Daniels and North Carolina’s Drake Maye went in succession the first three picks. None of Washington, Chicago and New England, respectively, could be convinced to move off those opportunities.

Atlanta dropped the stunner and picked Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 two months after giving Kirk Cousins $100 million guaranteed. Then Minnesota moved up one spot to No. 10 to ensure it got the fifth quarterback of the night in Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy.

All the while, the Broncos were not concerned.

They waited out free agency. They waited out weeks of trade talks before acquiring Zach Wilson from the New York Jets on Monday for minimal cost. What’s a few more picks and a quintet of quarterbacks?

Payton said at the NFL scouting combine that his team would ace the quarterback evaluation process and other teams wouldn’t. Then he stood pat at No. 12 and had no qualms about taking the sixth quarterback of the night.

“It means a lot,” Nix said. “I can’t thank them enough for taking me, and for putting their belief in me. Like I said, there’s a lot in the future that’s going to need to be done — a lot of work to be done, a lot of growing and a lot of getting better. I just appreciate the value that they had in me.”

They left premium options for teams behind. They could have had Georgia tight end Brock Bowers. They could have had their pick of defensive players. The first didn’t come off the board until Indianapolis took UCLA pass-rusher Laiatu Latu at No. 15, the longest stretch of all offense to start a draft in NFL history.

Instead, they did what so much of the top half of the draft order did: took a swing at the game’s most important position.

The Broncos did extensive work on Nix throughout the process, just as they did with the other quarterbacks in the class. They didn’t have a loud presence at his pro day in March, but Sean Payton and company were in Eugene and held a lengthy private workout and meeting with him the next day.

“We talked a lot of football and we talked a lot about (Payton’s) scheme and what he’s done for so many years and how he’s been so successful,” Nix said. “It was a blast talking football, to be honest with you. It was a blast being in there with him and the other coaches. They brought a lot of guys out there to the private (meeting) and I was just very honored to have them around.”

The way the board fell provides a clean and compelling way to measure Denver’s process. Because Nix was the last of the six off the board, the Broncos will have either outfoxed and out-scouted a dozen other teams or it will look like they forced the issue and took a quarterback because they felt they had to take one.

The ramifications of that are equally clear and every bit as compelling: If Nix solves the eight-year quarterback conundrum this franchise has suffered through, this will be a defining night. The pick took no additional draft capital and leaves Payton and general manager George Paton with seven selections moving forward into the next two days to attack other areas of need. There are many.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix (10) looks downfield under pressure from the Colorado Buffaloes defense in the first quarter at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon on Sept. 23, 2023. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)

If not, the wisdom of selecting a player most didn’t have among the draft’s premier talents will be questioned up and down for years. Could the Broncos have landed Nix later? Is he that much better than Spencer Rattler? How many touchdowns did Bowers catch for Las Vegas against Denver this year?

That’s the nature of making this bet. Payton put his first-rounder where his mouth was.

First-rounders have to produce regardless of position, but especially when it’s a quarterback and especially when a team hasn’t made one since 2021.

If Nix learns to operate Payton’s offensive system the way he did Oregon’s, the Broncos will benefit for years to come. If he ends up performing like a typical sixth quarterback taken in a draft, Denver will likely continue to lag far behind in a division that features two of the game’s best quarterbacks in Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert.

No pressure.

QB Bo Nix, Oregon

Round/pick: 1st/No. 12

Age: 24

Height/weight: 6-foot-2/217 pounds

College: Oregon

Hometown: Pinson, Ala.

Notable: Nix is one of the most experienced quarterbacks in this year’s draft class, playing in 61 career games and recording 15,352 passing yards, 113 touchdowns and 26 interceptions. A four-star recruit out of high school and ranked the best dual-threat quarterback in the 2019 class by 247sports, Nix spent three seasons at Auburn before transferring to Oregon and becoming a college football superstar. He totaled 8,101 passing yards, 74 touchdowns and 10 picks in two seasons with the Ducks, posting a 22-5 record.

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Oregon

“Made In A Lab” For Las Vegas Raiders

Published

6 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Press Room

Oregon football fans will miss center Jackson Powers-Johnson. “JPJ” anchored the best offensive line in college football for two-straight seasons, protecting former quarterback Bo Nix, while bringing positivity and tenacity to the locker room.

The highest-drafted center in Oregon football history, Powers-Johnson was drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders with the No. 44 pick.

Overwhelmingly, the Las Vegas Raiders fan base is thrilled with the new addition, as the plan is for JPJ to start at right guard as a rookie.

“I don’t see any way he is not starting week one at right guard,” Hondo Carpenter, beat reporter for Las Vegas Raiders SI said in an exclusive podcast. “This is an old school Raider. This is a kid that would play with a leather helmet if they let him. Raider Nation is jacked up, this is one of their own.”

“This is like a guy that was made in the lab for (the Las Vegas Raiders),” Carpenter continued.

Oct 14, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Oregon Ducks offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson (58)

Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

JPJ and the 2024 Raiders rookie class brings a wave of fresh air to a franchise already energized by the hiring of new head coach Antonio Pierce. A former NFL linebacker, Pierce started as Las Vegas’ linebackers coach in 2022. As interim coach last season, Pierce captivated the locker room with his tenacious leadership style and captivated the fanbase with his personality.

“It feels like the Raiders are back to being the Raiders. It’s almost like for the last 20 years they have wandered in the wilderness, trying to find an identity that they had lost. Along comes Antonio Pierce, who grew up a Raider, is a Raider, personifies the Raiders…” Carpenter said.

“It’s why JPJ just fits. He is their kind of guy: violent, nasty, mean. That is what the head coach says he wants and that is JPJ.”

Powers-Johnson has already played in Allegiant Stadium during the 2023 PAC-12 Championship against the Washington Huskies. He hopes to experience more wins in the new NFL stadium.

Known for his intense competitiveness and tough demeanor on the field, Powers-Johnson has a sense of humor for the ages.

Jackson Powers-Johnson left a distinguished legacy at the University of Oregon, setting milestones as the first Duck and Pac-12 player to win the Rimington Trophy, awarded to the nation’s best center. His accomplishments include being named a unanimous All-American, with first-team honors from the AFCA, Associated Press, FWAA, Sporting News, and Walter Camp.

Powers-Johnson anchored an Oregon offensive line that led the nation with just five sacks allowed in 2023. He led all FBS centers in overall (84.3) and run-blocking (85.2) grade by Pro Football Focus in 2023, while ranking second in pass-blocking grade (90.6). He allowed just one pressure and zero sacks in 471 pass-blocking opportunities.

“I don’t see any way he is not starting week one at right guard… This is like a guy that was made in the lab for (the Las Vegas Raiders).”
The future is bright for Jackson Powers-Johnson with the Las Vegas Raiders.@HondoCarpenter @DucksDigest #GoDucks #ProDucks @BigJax58… pic.twitter.com/rv83MDnFYB
— Bri Amaranthus (@BriAmaranthus) May 5, 2024

Las Vegas Raiders fans are “jacked” for former Oregon football star Jackson Powers-Johnson.
“This is an old school Raider. This is a kid that would play with a leather helmet if they let him.”@BigJax58 @HondoCarpenter #GoDucks #ProDucks #lasvegasraidershttps://t.co/GjOQa1mhT6 pic.twitter.com/0DlOZ6UTy2
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— Oregon Ducks Digest (@DucksDigest) May 5, 2024

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Oregon

Ex-FSU Football Defensive Lineman Transferring to Oregon State Football

Published

13 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Press Room

Ex-FSU Football Defensive Lineman Transferring to Oregon State Football

The spring transfer portal is officially closed, but players who entered while the portal was open are still able to find their next destinations and take their time in doing so. One player soon to find their next home is a former Florida State defensive end.

Josh Griffis, who has spent time with three different programs at various levels since transferring from Florida State a few years ago, will be continuing his college career at Oregon State. He announced the news on social media on Saturday evening.

READ MORE: Former FSU Stars Keon Coleman, Trey Benson, Tatum Bethune, and Renardo Green Get Their NFL Draft Calls

Griffis, a former three-star recruit and Florida State defensive end, left the Seminoles in 2021. He played briefly for Garden City Community College before joining Deion Sanders at Jackson State. He appeared in six games for the Tigers, totaling five tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and one quarterback hurry.

After the season, Coach Prime took his talents to Colorado — where he’s been heavily involved in the news cycle since — leaving Griffis and many other former Jackson State players in the transfer portal. This was after Griffis spent time in JUCO after being dismissed from Florida State.

The former Seminole then transferred to Tarleton State, where he finished with 13 total tackles, nine solo tackles, five sacks and three forced fumbles during his 2023 college football campaign.

Now headed to Oregon State, Griffis is headed to a unique situation. The program has been left high and dry after the Pac-12 dissolved, with its members dispersing across the Big 12 and Big Ten. Now, with just two programs remaining in the conference, Oregon State has an arrangement with the Mountain West to fill out their 2024 college football schedule.

Griffis is technically joining a power conference, though the Pac-12 is a thing of the past and they’re playing a very weak schedule compared to the Power Four — involving the Big 12, Big Ten, ACC and SEC. The former Seminole has had a very unique college football career path.

READ MORE: FSU AD Michael Alford Possibly Hints At Big 10 Move During Chicago Boosters Event

Stick with NoleGameday for more coverage of Florida State football throughout the offseason.

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Oregon

Ohio State Buckeyes or Oregon Ducks?

Published

20 hours ago

May 4, 2024

Press Room

The Big Ten Conference is loaded with excellent running backs with a chance to electrify in the 2024 football season. Talent in this conference includes a dynamic duo, new faces and breakout stars. Ranking the top-three running back rooms:

1. Ohio State Buckeyes

It’s no secret that Ohio State does a great job bringing in some of the best talent in the nation and the running back position is no exception. Heading into 2024, the Buckeyes have arguably the best two-headed running back monster in college football with senior TreVeyon Henderson and Ole Miss transfer Quinshon Judkins.

Henderson has had some difficulty staying on the field over the course of his career but he’s absolutely not lacking talent. In his lone healthy season as a freshman in 2021, Henderson racked up 1,248 rushing yards on a remarkable 6.8 yards per carry.

Ohio State TreVeyon Henderson, Oregon Ducks Jordan James

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Quinshon Judkins is the flashy new piece in the backfield as he brings his talents over from Ole Miss where he averaged 1,363 rushing yards on almost exactly five yards per carry in two seasons for the Rebels. More of a power runner, Judkins brings the thunder to Henderson’s lightning and rounds out what should be widely considered the best running back group in the Big Ten, if not the country.

2. Oregon Ducks

Depth is the name of the game for Oregon’s running back group this season. Spearheaded by junior Jordan James, the backfield features several different types of runners.

James is the most explosive of the group, averaging an astounding 7.1 yards per carry for the Ducks in 2023. Behind him is powerhouse senior Noah Whittington who comes into 2024 off a leg injury that cost him most of last season after starting red-hot with 7.3 yards per carry through Oregon’s first four games.

Behind these two is Jay Harris, a Division Two transfer from Northwest Missouri State who has garnered rave reviews from coaches and media alike in his first spring in Eugene.

3. Penn State Nittany Lions

Some would be tempted to place Michigan’s backfield in the No. 3spot but that mostly factors in last season. After the Wolverines lost star Blake Corum to the NFL Draft, Penn State returns the next-most impressive group in the realigned Big Ten with Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen.

Singleton and Allen split carries last season for the Nittany Lions and both will be back after impressive 2023 seasons. Allen accrued 902 rushing yards in 13 games last year while Singleton contributed 752 of his own. With another year to develop, these two figure to headline one of the fiercest backfields in the Big Ten.

The Big Ten is known for its physical play and although there are other good backfields in the conference, these three should be among the most dangerous heading into 2024.

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