Former Oregon and Auburn quarterback Bo Nix is back in his home state this week as he looks to turn heads at the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl in preparation for the 2024 NFL Draft.

Hailing from Pinson Valley, just north of Birmingham, Nix is no stranger to the Senior Bowl. He understands its importance for NFL prospects and the Mobile community.

“It’s an honor and privilege to be back in the home state but more importantly just because of the game and what it means,” Nix said Tuesday as he fielded questions in the ballroom of the Mobile Convention Center. “It’s an honor.”

Nix spent the first three seasons of his college career at Auburn, following in the footsteps of his father, former Auburn quarterback Patrick Nix. Ahead of the 2022 season, Nix opted to transfer to Oregon, spending his final two seasons with the Ducks.

Despite transferring to Oregon, where he helped the Ducks to a combined 22-5 record across two seasons and was named a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2023, Nix has never left any question about what the Auburn program means to him.

During his time at the podium Tuesday, Nix was asked if he had a favorite NFL team.

“Honestly and realistically in the south, most of the time we’re more fans of the college game,” Nix began. “So Auburn was my team growing up, obviously.”

Surely, Nix’s father playing for the Tigers played a role in his early allegiance to Auburn.

But his own time playing on The Plains from is a big part of it, too.

In three seasons at Auburn, Nix passed for more than 7,250 yards, 39 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.

Now, as he gets ready to suit up for the National Team in Saturday’s Reese’s Senior Bowl game, he’s set to play against a quartet of Auburn defenders in defensive lineman Marcus Harris and defensive backs DJ James, Nehemiah Pritchett and Jaylin Simpson.

Like Nix, Pritchett and Simpson both arrived at Auburn as freshmen back in 2019.

“It’s good to see my former teammates from Auburn down here and play with those guys again,” Nix said.