Even though Bo Nix entered the NFL as the 12th player picked in the 2024 draft, he was only the sixth quarterback selected. But of the five quarterbacks chosen ahead of him, Nix threw for more yards and touchdowns and produced more TDs as a rookie.

With evaluators often comparing Nix to Drew Brees, the success seemed inevitable in hindsight. Brees had a Hall of Fame-worthy career across 15 seasons with the New Orleans Saints, who were coached by Sean Payton, now Nix’s coach with the Denver Broncos.

Payton said Nix’s success had more to do with the quarterback than the scheme fit.

“I know that it’s like shopping for shoes,” Payton said on Saturday. “Some people are going to look for a different style. But I think it was asked to me the other day — the fit, the fit. And I said, ‘Look, I don’t know who wouldn’t want this type of quarterback in their system because I think sometimes it gets — there’s that insinuation: Well, it was the perfect fit with our offense. He’s the perfect fit for anyone that wants to win at that position.

“So now it’s putting together the things around them. And it’s not just the weapons around them. It’s building the running game, building up the defense. Again, if you’re a quarterback and you’re playing good defense and you can run the ball, that takes a little stress off your life. And if you can’t do those two things, then you probably have a tough job.”

RELATED: BO NIX WORKS WITH NFL GREAT IN PREPARATION FOR HIS SECOND SEASON

The Broncos hadn’t been to the postseason since 2015 until posting a 10-7 record in 2024 in Payton’s second season at the helm in Denver.

Nix served as a captain for the playoff team even though he was a rookie. Payton said the leadership role comes with Nix’s position. He filled it successfully because he played well.

“The leadership skill set, I think, comes at that position, and he’s comfortable with that,” Payton said. “And when you’re a young player, then it’s just about proving yourself. In other words, the locker room is waiting for you to lead, waiting for you to excel. And when you prove that you can play, they latch onto that. And I think it happened for him last year.

“Man, I think one of the understated, one of the things that he does so well, when you look at minus-play differential — sacks, interceptions, fumbles — his number is off the charts. So he doesn’t get sacked, and I think that’s more of a quarterback statistic than an offensive-line statistic. And he’s extremely accurate. I think we all heard these college air yards (criticisms), and he finished third in the league last year with yards per completion. So he can stretch the field. He’s got plenty of arm.

“But what I really like is his movement out of the pocket, his off-schedule stuff. And he’s just that much more comfortable today than this time last year. You can see it in how he’s operating the huddle and certainly you can see it with his teammates.”

At Pinson Valley High School, Nix led the Indians to consecutive AHSAA Class 6A championships. In 2017, Pinson Valley swept through 15 games without a loss, including a 31-10 victory over Wetumpka in the state-title game. In 2018, the Indians bounced back from a 52-14 loss to two-time defending 7A champ Hoover in the season-opening game to win the remainder of their contests, including a 26-17 victory over Saraland in the 6A championship game.

Nix set AHSAA career records for yards of total offense and touchdown responsibility.

Nix was an All-State selection in 2017 and 2018. In his senior season, he also was selected as Alabama’s Mr. Football and the Class 6A Back of the Year by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.

Nix played at Auburn in the 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons before transferring to Oregon.

At Auburn, Nix completed 628-of-1,057 passes for 7,251 yards with 39 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. In two seasons at Oregon, Nix competed 658-of-879 passes for 8,101 yards with 74 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

During the 2023 season, Nix set an NCAA FBS single-season record by completing 77.45 percent of his passes as he established school records with 4,508 passing yards and 45 touchdown passes for Oregon.

Nix finished third in the voting for the 2023 Heisman Trophy behind LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, who won the award, and Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

With 16,965 yards of total offense in his career, Nix ranks third in NCAA FBS history. He ranks fifth with 152 total touchdowns (113 passing, 38 rushing and one receiving), seventh with 15,352 passing yards and eighth with 1,286 completions.

As an NFL rookie, Nix completed 376-of-567 passes for 3,775 yards with 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions and ran for 430 yards and four touchdowns on 92 carries while starting every regular-season game for Denver.

Nix’s touchdown passes rank second in the NFL rookie record book, and his passing yards rank eighth. With seven games of at least 200 passing yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, Nix had the most for a first-year player in league history.

Nix started training camp on Wednesday for his second season with the Broncos, which kicks off on Sept. 7 against the Tennessee Titans. Before then the Broncos will play three preseason games – against the San Francisco 49ers on Aug. 9, Arizona Cardinals on Aug. 16 and New Orleans Saints on Aug. 23.

“I think we’re all excited at that position,” Payton said about Nix at quarterback. “When you have someone in place, man, your team doesn’t have that ceiling sometimes you might think you have if you don’t.”

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

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