Bo Nix should have highest expectations of rookie QBs for one key reason

There is not a satisfying conclusion to this season for Denver Broncos fans that does not involve Bo Nix winning Rookie of the Year.

Okay, fine, that is not true. But, there is a morsel of truth to the idea that Nix should outperform his peers and deliver immediate results for a Broncos team in need. Denver selected Nix 12th overall in April's NFL Draft, a decision that many frowned upon in the moment. Nix was widely billed as a late-first, early-second-round prospect with clear limitations. Given the premium placed on quarterbacks, however, Nix became a natural target for the QB-needy Broncos.

Nix put up a strong preseason, eventually winning the QB1 job over veterans Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson. Broncos head coach Sean Payton has done little except gas up Nix, citing his poise and work ethic. Nix wowed Denver in pre-draft interviews with his football IQ and curious nature. He picks things up quickly and profiles as your classic, whip-smart game manager under center.

While Nix was the sixth QB off the board in this year's draft, his archetype and situation naturally raise expectations. He doesn't need to win Rookie of the Year — there is bound to be significant competition for that award in the AFC — but Nix does need to perform. While other prospects may engender patience, a wait-and-see approach, Nix is on an accelerated timeline.

Why? It's simple. Because he is the most experienced QB prospect in years.

Bo Nix needs to perform because the Broncos drafted him for experience

Nix enters the NFL as a 24-year-old with five years of starting experience under his belt at the college level. Nix split his amateur career between Auburn and Oregon, transforming into a Heisman candidate in his final campaign. As a fifth-year senior, Nix completed 77.4 percent of his passes for 4,508 yards and 45 touchdowns. He threw only three interceptions across 14 games.

Now, we can poke holes in Nix's resumé — that Oregon offense was Stat Pad Central — but the fact remains. He was an extremely productive fifth-year senior who started five seasons at the college level, which is almost unheard of.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated expertly illustrates why Nix will face more immediate pressure at the NFL level compared to, say, Caleb Williams or Drake Maye.

"The gap in experience with the rookie quarterbacks needs to be noted. So with that in mind, consider this—when Michael Penix Jr. suited up for the Indiana spring game in April 2018, Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy were high school freshmen in D.C., Charlotte and Chicago, respectively. And when those three were college freshmen, Penix, Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix were NFL afterthoughts in search of new beginnings, each in the midst of a transfer from one big-conference program to another."

Nix has twice as much experience (61 games, 61 starts) as Maye (30 games, 26 starts), for example. That cannot be overstated when evaluating a prospect's upside, not to mention their immediate bar for success. Maye theoretically has three years and dozens of starts before he approaches Nix's current level.

The NFL is a new challenge for every rookie. There's a monumental difference between quarterbacking at Oregon and quarterbacking for the Denver Broncos. All the same, Nix can't get the last three years of "experience" back. That is already in the bank. Maye has far more time for trial and error before his reputation crystalizes and his career arc becomes clear. We should know much sooner if Nix can cut it in the NFL.

There was plenty to be excited about with Nix's preseason performance. The reports out of training camp are universally glowing. None of that matters if Nix can't put up in the real games, though. Denver is entrusting its offense to Nix, one of three rookie QBs to be named starter out of the gate. In theory, he should be the most well-prepared of the bunch.