Former Auburn QB would’ve had disappointing 2023 NFL draft

Former Auburn football quarterback Bo Nix would’ve had a disappointing 2023 NFL draft had he declared for it and not returned to Oregon for the 2023 NCAAF season — this, at least, according to Ducks Wire’s Zachary Neel, who feels as though the late-season injury in 2022, and the slippage in performance that followed, would’ve been held against the Pinson product.

“Going into the 2023 NFL Draft, Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix likely didn’t have a high enough draft stock to be selected where he wanted to and likely would have been a mid-to-late-round pick,” Neel wrote. “He had a stellar season in 2022 for the Ducks and was among the Heisman Trophy contenders before a late-season injury derailed things, but after an up-and-down career at Auburn, it appears that NFL teams wanted to see more from the Oregon passer before paying him millions of dollars.”

Nix injured his right foot against Washington in a 37-34 loss on November 12, and while his passing numbers held up the final three games of the season against Utah, Oregon State, and North Carolina, he ended up with negative rushing yardage after going for at least 50 yards on the ground in five of the Ducks’ previous six games.

Bo Nix may not have yet received his ultimate revenge on Auburn football

Nix had his career-best season in 2022 at Oregon as Auburn football had to rally in the final month just to finish 5-7 and ineligible for a bowl game for the first time in a decade. Still, Nix has yet to exact his ultimate revenge on AU.

That would come in the form of proving he can thrive without former Tigers and Ducks offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham — who is now the head coach of the Arizona State Sundevils — while bringing a Pac-12 team to the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2017. Having USC and Oregon State at home drastically helps make that a reality, while road tests at Utah and Washington serve as the main roadblocks.