Chris Harris Jr. thinks Bo Nix is the best quarterback prospect the Broncos have had since….

The Denver Broncos quarterback carousel since Peyton Manning has begun to rival the Cleveland Browns in numbers or duration, but Broncos legend Chris Harris Jr. provided some hope with Bo Nix.

When the Denver Broncos drafted Oregon quarterback Bo Nix with their 12th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the “experts” all felt they reached horribly. However, at the end of the day they got the quarterback they wanted and if they hadn’t taken him then he would have gone a few picks later anyway.

Even more important is that Denver finally has their best shot at finding a talent that can lead them out of the darkness in the post-Peyton Manning era. Recently retired Broncos’ legend Chris Harris Jr. was asked about the Bo Nix pick on NFL Total Access and gave a very strong voice of support for the pick and the player.

“I think he’s probably one of the best prospects we’ve had since Peyton”

Former All-Pro @ChrisHarrisJr thinks the @Broncos found their guy in @BoNix10 pic.twitter.com/1JZ25seRbd

— NFL Total Access (@NFLTotalAccess) May 3, 2024
“I think he’s probably one of the best prospects we’ve had since Peyton,” CHJ said. “I think the Denver Broncos have definitely found their guy.”

If you look at all of the quarterbacks since Peyton Manning, you’d be hard pressed to say Bo Nix isn’t the best prospect they’ve had since he retired. Does that mean he’ll be the best quarterback they’ve had since Peyton? No, of course not. That is why CHJ used the word prospect, because until he plays a down in the NFL we won’t know for sure.

While I had hoped Denver would aggressively move up in the draft to get a guy, it turned out the guy Sean Payton wanted all along behind Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels was there waiting for him to pounce with that 12th overall selection. Now Payton and Nix have to work together to turn the Broncos franchise back into the winner it had been for decades before the Joe Ellis era. I look forward to it.

The Denver Broncos‘ Super Bowl squads have often featured groups with nicknames. There was the “Orange Crush” defense in 1977 and the “No Fly Zone” in 2015.

Between those stout defenses were the “Three Amigos,” a trio of pass-catchers for John Elway from the late 1980s and early 1990s. After the 2024 draft, former Bronco Reuben Droughns is handing out new nicknames.

Denver used two of their seven draft picks on Oregon teammates Bo Nix and Troy Franklin.

“I call them the Denver Ducks now,” Droughns, said, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson on May 5.

Droughns was a standout in his own right at Oregon before moving on to the NFL. The Detroit Lions drafted him in the third round of the 2000 draft.

He also played for the Cleveland Browns and won a Super Bowl with the New York Giants.

Franklin and Nix formed a mutual respect during the latter’s two years in Eugene after four years at Auburn. Both players have spoken highly of the other’s innate understanding of the game and work ethic.

Nix set records last season, completing 77.4% of his passes for 4,508 yards, 45 touchdowns, and three interceptions. He also started more games (61) than any quarterback in NCAA history.

Franklin logged 1,383 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns.

The duo helped Oregon win 12 games last season – the school’s most since the 2019 season – and a win over Liberty in the Fiesta Bowl. Nix also finished third in the Heisman voting following his strong season.

Franklin and Nix are stepping into a different animal with the Broncos and the NFL compared to the competition at the collegiate level, particularly coming from the wide-open Pac-12.