Does Bo Nix have some Drew Brees in him?

Bo Nix set the NCAA FBS single-season completion-percentage record last season — a snappy 77.45 percent.

“I mean, there are certain traits that I think you could say are fair to sort of [think] when you squint, you see some Drew Brees in him,” ESPN’s Field Yates told Mike Evans and Mark Schlereth last week during the “Schlereth and Evans Show” on 104.3 The Fan.

Does Bo Nix have some Drew Brees in him?

"I mean, there are certain traits that I think you could say are fair to sort of [think] when you squint, you see some Drew Brees in him," ESPN's @FieldYates told @DenverSportsCom's @MikeEvans1043 & @markschlereth: pic.twitter.com/3OJrggF2KE

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) March 18, 2024

It stands to reason, on that number alone. Bo Nix was a rhythm-and-timing passer in college, blossoming in Oregon’s wide-open scheme after transferring from Auburn. And Brees not only holds the NFL’s single-season completion-percentage record, but he holds six of the league’s top-nine completion percentage figures.

So, why could Nix’s outcome be different than that of Jones?

First, there’s leadership and character. Yates admitted that he learned about both when he visited Eugene, Oregon for Nix’s Pro Day last week.

“I had an idea of how Bo was regarded, but it was reinforced and strengthened over my time in Eugene of just how much of a leader he was for that program and how much he commanded the respect of every tentacle of that Oregon football program and really the Eugene community,” Yates said.

“I think that it’s fair to say the leadership and the football character of Bo Nix are going to be very, very appealing to NFL teams over the next five or six weeks … until the NFL Draft.”

And second, there’s athleticism. Bo Nix ran for 38 touchdowns during five college seasons, including 20 in two years at Oregon.

“He’s a well-built quarterback when it comes to size,” Yates said. “He’s a better athlete than Drew was. Drew obviously navigated the pocket perfectly. One of the great in-pocket mobility quarterbacks of all time. But Bo is a legit running threat. They just didn’t use him that much during his time there at Oregon. He was like this razzle-dazzle quarterback during his days at Auburn, which included starting as a true freshman in Week 1.”

THE COMP OF BO NIX TO DREW BREES

Yates is not the only one to make the Brees-Nix connection. Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt — who spent part of 2006 with the Saints and Sean Payton — made the same allusion, too.

.@CFBONFOX’s @joelklatt to @DenverSportsCom on Bo Nix’s #NFLDraft prospects: “He’s gonna knock it out of the park when he meets with teams face-to-face … He, I think in a lot of ways, reminds me of Drew Brees — although not as prolific of a passer & more athletic as a runner.” pic.twitter.com/3c4reTdf0H

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) January 12, 2024

“He, I think in a lot of ways, reminds me of Drew Brees — although not as prolific of a passer and more athletic as a runner,” Klatt said.

But the most important trait that will determine Nix’s success or failure as a pro is his processor. And ultimately, that is the key element to being able to run Payton’s offense effectively. A quick processor means decisions and delivery are made on time.

“[Nix] told me after the Pro Day that the trait that he thought could maybe most sell NFL teams is his processing,” Yates said. And that certainly shows up on tape.”

But there’s something more to it than just the timing — it’s setting the table for more. That’s what Brees did so well in New Orleans.

“It’s not just being able to put the ball accurately where it’s supposed to be, but also knowing in a fast period of time where it’s going to go, which can create run-after-catch opportunities,” Yates said.

“So, I just think that Bo has a clearly-defined set of skills, and I do think that’s going to appeal to a lot of teams, and if you told me he goes 12th to the Denver Broncos, I would say, ‘I buy it.’”