Tick, tock, tick, tock – the NFL draft clock doesn’t stop for anyone, not even Sean Payton. As the Denver Broncos scooped up Bo Nix with the 12th overall pick, Payton felt the weight of his past draft decision heavy on his shoulders. The Broncos went all-in on Bo Nix, the gun-slinging QB from Oregon. A bold move, no doubt, but one that could unlock the franchise’s future or leave it stuck in the mud. And for Payton, it might be about making up for that one that got away.

In a no-holds-barred chat with Pat McAfee, Payton dished out a draft-day truth bomb. “We always like to manage the draft…you could have backed up and got him,” he said, referring to the 2017 scramble for Patrick Mahomes, “And I heard that with Patrick Mahomes when Kansas City took him and I’m like they couldn’t have backed up and got him because we were taking him with the next pick.”

Rewind to 2017, and Payton was riding shotgun with the New Orleans Saints. He had his eyes locked on a certain Patrick Mahomes, the fearless flinger from Texas Tech. But just when Payton thought he had his guy, Andy Reid and the Chiefs swerved in and snagged Mahomes with the 10th pick.

Where Does Broncos Still Lack Elite Talent?

Let Tony do the scouting, you just make the pick.

Pick your positions. Get Tony’s top 5:

QB

RB

FB

WR

TE

C

CB

DE

DT

G

ILB

OLB

P

PK

S

T

View Tony’s Picks

Now, with the echoes of Mahomes’ miss still ringing, the Broncos aren’t taking any chances. They’ve snagged Bo Nix, a quarterback who’s shown he can throw deep and dodge defenders with the best of them. Payton’s betting that Nix’s arm and agility are just what the Broncos need to gallop back to greatness. “Bo Nix is super intelligent and he’s the most accurate passer in College Football history” Payton declared.  With a nod to the past and an eye on the future, Denver’s making a play for the big time, and Bo Nix is their man under center.

For Payton, who’s been white-knuckling it through QB purgatory after a staggering 13 different signal-callers have started over the last seven consecutive losing seasons, Nix represents a chance to rewrite the wrongs of the Russell Wilson experiment and the Mahomes miss.

Moving On From Russ, The Bo Nix Era Begins in Denver

When the Broncos punted Russell Wilson to the Pittsburgh Steelers, signing him to a one-year deal around the league minimum of $1.21 million, it was clear the team was hitting the reset button. Out with the old, in with the new – and that “new” has a name: Bo Nix.

By making the upstart Oregon star their first-round pick, the Broncos are placing a big ole’ bet on Nix’s impressive college credentials. We’re talking records for accuracy, third-down wizardry, you name it. “First on third down, first with the fewest sacks, the most accurate passer in college football history,” Payton gushed to Pat.

Of course, making the transition from college star to NFL superstar is easier said than done. The track is littered with highly-touted prospects who just couldn’t cut the mustard. But if the Broncos’ elaborate courting of Nix is any indication, with Payton praising how he “handles the protections and his arm strength is extremely impressive,” they’re confident he’s got the goods to be their next Mile High Messiah.