Could Oregon’s Nix be Broncos’ answer at quarterback?

MOBILE, ALA. >> Bo Nix is back home this week.

The road to get to the Senior Bowl, though, traversed thousands of miles.

Nix, considered by many evaluators the top quarterback at this collegiate allstar game and a potential first-round pick in April’s draft, was born in Arkansas but attended high school in Pinson, Ala., just north of Birmingham and about a four-hour drive from here.

He played his first four years of college in the state, too, three hours northeast at Auburn.

In search of a revival, though, Nix went all the way to Oregon, then saw his football future take off.

Over the past two seasons, the 6-foot-2, 218-pounder put up monster numbers for the Ducks. In 2023 alone, he threw for 4,508 yards on 77.4% completions, 45 touchdowns against three interceptions and was a Heisman Trophy finalist.

This week, familiar as the territory is, still comes with a big dose of discomfort and a lot of learning required. Nix insists he doesn’t feel pressure to prove anything to evaluators.

“Not really anything besides the fact that I enjoy playing football and I’ll do anything to go out there and strap it up, our offense vs. any defense, be efficient and play the game,” Nix said. “Play quarterback. It’s one of the most fun things in the world to go out there to be a quarterback of any offense. …

“Whatever they take from it, that’s kind of out of my control.”

Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. are widely considered the top two quarterbacks at the Senior Bowl, though Tulane’s Michael Pratt had a solid first day. Nix and Penix each played overwhelmingly out of shotgun in college. They spent big parts of Tuesday operating from under center.

They mastered offensive systems and had terrific weaponry at their Pac-12 homes. This week they’re learning every day and throwing to unfamiliar pass-catchers.

They wowed the college game. Now they have to try to convince the NFL world that they’re worthy of lofty draft consideration.

As teams meet with Nix this week, they’ll ask about the system he played in at Oregon. Broncos head coach Sean Payton has a notoriously complex one, and he’s never actually had a rookie or even a truly inexperienced full-time starter under center.

If Denver’s going to go young, Payton will have to be convinced the kid can handle the rigors of the position and of his coaching.

Nix had no interest in entertaining the idea that he might have a reputation as a guy who played in a funbut-simple collegiate offense, curtly responding, “I have no control (over that).”

His center at Oregon, Jackson Powers-johnson, had a more expansive answer.

“His knowledge has accumulated over years and you can see it,” Powers-johnson told The Post. “He can teach the offensive line. He can teach the receivers. He can teach anybody. He’s his own little offensive coordinator as it is.”

Nix echoed that sentiment, pointing out that he’s played for five offensive coordinators in as many seasons in college.

“Five offenses in five years,” said Nix, who never had the same quarterbacks coach twice, either. “Five different playcallers. I’ve been around the block and been able to learn from a lot of different people who have had a lot of different success. … I think along the way I learned a lot from each individual and grew. In my time, I’ve had a lot of experience and growth.

“However that translates next, I’m just going to show the adaptability and comfortability I have of being uncomfortable. I took it as a fun challenge — I’m a football junky. So learning different plays and how you can name the same play different ways, it was always fun to me.

“I’m a fast learner.” Powers-johnson took over at center for the Ducks after Alex Forsyth graduated last year and got picked in the seventh round by the Broncos. He raved about Forsyth — “I love Alex,” Powers-johnson said — and had even more distinct praise for Nix.

“His reach is far beyond the field,” Powers-johnson said. “Whatever team drafts him is going to get a guy that impacts the organization. He’s going to impact the community. He’s an amazing person. He treats everybody the same. He’s just the guy you want. He’s the NFL quarterback that is going to be great and elite and competitive on the field and then off the field is going to be the face of the franchise.”

The Broncos are in the market for that player if, as expected, they part with Russell Wilson between now and mid-march.

Could it be Nix? Penix or Pratt?

This week is far from the only factor, but its the next best chance to stake a claim.