Bo Nix will start at quarterback in his first NFL game on Sunday. Balancing the rookie’s inexperience is Nix’s coach. Sean Payton will start his 18th season as an NFL head coach on Sunday.

A former Pinson Valley High School and Auburn standout, Nix has gone from the 12th pick in the NFL Draft on April 25 to the Denver Broncos’ starting QB against the Seattle Seahawks at 3:05 p.m. CDT Sunday at Lumen Field in Seattle.

“So we get a young player like Bo Nix,” Payton said. “There’s a certain skill set he has, strengths and weaknesses. Hopefully, we build on the strengths and then really minimize the things maybe that a young player might face opening up the start of the season.”

Nix started 61 games in three seasons at Auburn and two seasons at Oregon. But the zero on his NFL stat sheet means Nix will be listening closely to his coach on Sunday.

“As a rookie, I don’t have a whole lot of say,” Nix said. “I just go in there and do what I’m told. But I will give it to the coaches, from coach Payton down. They’ve been very intrigued with what I’ve been good at in the past and my strengths, and they’re trying to play to those. But at the same time, he’s been doing this for almost 20 years, so he’s going to be doing what he’s comfortable with, and it’s my job to go out there and execute what he calls.”

Nix earned the Denver quarterback job in an offseason/training camp/preseason competition with Jarrett Stidham, another former Auburn QB, and Zach Wilson.

“I’m excited,” Nix said. “Seattle’s a good team. They got a good defense returning, a lot of good players with a new scheme, so it’ll be interesting to see what they come out and play. But I think they’re going to be very well-coached. They’re going to be talented. It’s going to be a hostile environment, but it’ll be fun. It’ll be a good first game.”

RELATED: BEFORE BO NIX: HOW 8 FORMER AUBURN QUARTERBACKS FARED IN THEIR FIRST NFL START

Nix thinks his college experience will hold him in good stead as he starts his NFL career on the road.

“Already been through several atmospheres,” Nix said. “Now, this could be different. But I think having been through that and understanding what a loud environment truly means, I think it’s really important. And it’s all about communication. It’s all about being on the same page, keeping it simple and going out there and executing your job. And when you do that, usually you can take some of the crowd out of it. But it’s definitely going to be the whole game, they’re going to be loud. It’s going to be a great atmosphere.”

Part of the crowd at Lumen Field will be rooting for Nix.

“I don’t have many family out west, but I do have a lot going to the game,” Nix said. “Being married, having a big family already, you got a lot of people that are going to want to come out to the game, so each game will have a different amount of people. But that’s the exciting part. A lot of these close friends and family have been there from Day 1, and they want to see the journey. I know my uncle’s been to every first game of every, I guess, level that I’ve been on, so he wasn’t going to miss this one. It’s stuff like that that you respect, and that’s the fun part of playing. I think it’s the memories and part of the journey that you get to go out there.

“You only get your first game one time, so you got to go out there and make the most of it.”

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.