The Minnesota Vikings, at 6-6, are positioned to finish in the middle of the draft with five games remaining in the regular season. However, this does not rule out selecting a quarterback prospect.
Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus predicted that the Vikings would select Oregon quarterback Bo Nix with the 21st overall choice in the upcoming draft, making Nix the fourth quarterback selected.
“Nix, the signal-caller for Oregon, had another outstanding year. He made just one play that was deserving of a turnover over the whole season, finishing with a 92.2 passing grade and an 87.3 passing mark under duress, according to Sikemma. Even though he has arm talent on par with the NFL, his season was not as difficult as others’. He had a season average depth of target of less than 7.0 and a passing yardage percentage through the air of less than 40%.
Nix, a Heisman finalist, embodies the qualities head coach Kevin O’Connell is searching for in a quarterback: he has the accuracy to run a highly skilled offense at the highest level.
The biggest criticism of Kirk Cousins as a quarterback throughout his career has been Nix’s mobility, which is another reason why a former NFL scout compared him to Cousins in terms of accuracy.
Bo Nix of Oregon and Kirk Cousins of the Vikings are compared by a former NFL scout.
After moving from Auburn to Oregon, the fifth-year senior Nix significantly improved his draft stock and shot himself into the fringes of the first round of the following year’s draft.
After watching 24 games with the Ducks, former New York Jets scout Daniel Kelly took an interest in Nix because of his accuracy and quick thinking when handling the ball; these are two qualities that Cousins has utilized to develop from a fourth-round prospect to a Pro Bowl player.
“At the Pac-12 Championship Game, I noticed something interesting on ESPN: an average release time of 2.5 seconds for Nix. Trevor Lawrence of the Jaguars, in contrast, clocks in at 2.51 seconds, according to Kelly. “Nix knows where he’s going with the ball and processes information mentally quickly, which reduces the number of sacks (just 10 in the last two seasons).”
Nix produced the second-most passing yards (4,145), tied for the lead in passing touchdowns (40), and had the best adjusted accuracy percentage (84.6%) of any FBS quarterback. His placing of the ball has also much improved.
“Nix does a good job of directing the ball so that only his receivers can potentially catch it. In 2022, he threw seven interceptions; in 2023, that number dropped to three. Kelly added, “According to my estimates from the game film, he had 17 interrupted passes in 13 games this season (1.30 per game) compared to 24 disrupted passes over 11 games (an average of 2.18 per game) in 2022.
Nix’s “uncanny short-to-intermediate accuracy (0-19 yards) while rolling out to his left or right” was praised by Kelly in her subsequent remarks. Because of his agility, Nix can make gains off broken plays and keep the Vikings ahead of the opposition.
Should Nix’s accuracy and processing reach new heights, the Cousins comparison offers a good foundation for the Vikings attack. Josh Dobbs’ shown mobility’s benefits would also increase adaptability.
With Vikings, Bo Nix’s Deep Ball Will Appear Better
Although Nix’s lack of deep passes and big-time throws has been criticized, Oregon’s offense didn’t need as many of those plays considering the playmakers that were available.
The San Francisco 49ers, who appear to be the Super Bowl favorites thanks to Brock Purdy, a former seventh-round pick who is now a contender for Most Valuable Player, have a similar situation.
With just 13 big-time throws this season, Purdy is not among the top 10 quarterbacks, but he is the most accurate when throwing passes of 20 yards or more (68.4%). Purdy’s pass-catching core contains top separators that enable him to make the most of his opportunities when he does take them.
Given that Jordan Addison, Justin Jefferson, and receiving tight end T.J. Hockenson are some of the league’s best separators, the Vikings might achieve exactly that with Nix.
With the added benefit of being able to avoid pressure and make plays on the move, Nix has proven he can handle the ball well and throw on time and properly, which is exactly what the Vikings need to maximize the offense.
