Report names 1 QB most likely to fall out of 1st round

Feb 6, 2022; Paradise, Nevada, USA; The NFL shield logo is seen at midfield before the Pro Bowl football game at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The first round of next week’s NFL Draft is expected to be very heavy on quarterbacks. There is a chance that four could go in the first four picks, with a fifth, Michael Penix Jr., also viewed as having a good chance to go in the first round.

There may be a limit, however, to how many quarterbacks come off the board on day one of the draft. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Oregon’s Bo Nix is seen as the quarterback most likely to fall out of the first round if one does. The caveat is that if Nix does appear to be in danger of falling into round two, some team might consider trading up for him, if only to get a potential fifth-year option attached to his rookie deal.

At best, Nix is viewed as more likely to be picked later in the first round, so it would not be completely stunning if he were to fall out of the first round. There has not been a lot of buzz around Nix in the pre-draft process, which is not even true of Penix, the other consensus second-tier quarterback in the draft.

Nix is easily the most experienced of the high-end quarterbacks in the draft, as he was a five-year starter in college. He threw for 4,508 yards and 45 touchdowns to go with just three interceptions last season with Oregon.