Sean Payton was frantically calling Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer last during the draft process, convinced that the Rams may be trading up for Bo Nix. Payton was hellbent on securing the player he believed would be Denver’s QB of the future. Yet, some misinformation had him scrambling, fearing that his target might be whisked away. Despite assurances from Glazer that nobody was in ahead of the Broncos to secure Nix, Payton remained restless. It took Sean McVay to personally intervene and clear that they were not looking to go for the Oregon QB to calm Payton down. If Payton had his way, Nix would’ve been the No.1 pick in the 2024 Draft. That is how desperately he wanted him, but that is not how this story began. In fact, it was quite the opposite.

Nix arrived in Denver with great hype and the fans were convinced that they had finally found the replacement for Peyton Manning, nearly a decade later. But not everyone was on board even after his impressive start. Terry Bradshaw was skeptical about how long Payton would rely on Nix’s arm. “With Bo Nix, his rookie quarterback, that he has in there… I just think they’re throwing too much right now. They’re over 40 pass attempts a game for a rookie. That’s way too much.” However, after leading the Broncos to their first playoff appearance since 2016, that narrative has changed. But it turns out, Bradshaw wasn’t alone in his doubts, surprisingly Payton wasn’t sure that Nix was the player for them when he first saw him at the Combine last year.

On Sunday at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Payton talked to the NFL Network’s Peter Schrager about what the Broncos made of Nix’s body of work at last year’s Combine. The Broncos spent time with Nix at last year’s Combine, but that’s not when they were impressed by him.

When asked did they knew Bo Nix was their guy at this time last year, Payton replied, “We didn’t at the time. I would say that decision probably was finalized, or we felt real strong—it wasn’t just the—he had a pro day on Friday and then, Saturday, we had a private workout. I think that Saturday after his private workout, we felt like that was our target. Yeah, this time, at this point in time, we didn’t. And he really didn’t throw well ( at the Combine).”

Nix had a mixed outing at the Combine last year. He didn’t have the same velocity when throwing out routes to either side of the field which made him an enticing prospect at Oregon. Wideouts were fairly consistently waiting for the ball to come to them on the sideline. He also struggled to connect with the wideouts on a few passes, missing both short and long. However, it was not all bad.

In the throwing velocity drill, he was clocked at 58 mph, which was just behind Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy at 61 mph and Tennessee’s Joe Milton at 62 mph. He also showcased a strong enough arm to put the ball right on the target during the deep corner drill. But his consistency at throwing at a distance was under question, which led many to project him as a Day 2 pick. But 10 days later on March 12, Nix worked out on Oregon’s Pro Day and had a workout for the Broncos the following day and it was here that he was able to win over Payton.

By April, Denver bet big, drafting him 12th overall. Many media outlets remained unconvinced. The Ringer rated him last in their pre-Week 1 QB ratings, according to them, the Broncos had downgraded from last season. But Nix didn’t just prove Payton and others’ initial impressions wrong—he bulldozed expectations.

The rookie racked up 29 touchdowns, 3,775 yards, and a 10-7 record, snapping Denver’s decade-long playoff drought. “I think we’ve found that player that can lead us and be what we need relative to having the success we’re used to having. I think we’ve found it,” Payton said after their Wild Card round defeat to the Bills. Terry Bradshaw, one of the early skeptics, was also full of praise and revealed how Nix exceeded Payton’s expectations.

During Super Bowl week, Bradshaw mentioned, “I talked to Sean this morning. He loves him (Nix). He’s faster than he thought he was. Stronger than he thought he was. Bigger than he thought he was. Got an arm strength bigger than he thought it was.”

Citing Nix’s incredible rise to the top, Schrager noted in a tweet, “The lesson? This is just the start. There’s still a long way to go in the process.”

There are few coaches as experienced and savvy as Payton when it comes to player evaluation. His patience and assessment of Nix, on the second time of asking, has proven to be a masterstroke for the Broncos so far. During the conversation, he also touched upon how the pre-draft process has changed and the importance of private workouts.

“Here’s a couple of things I can recall,” Payton told Schrager. “So, for years in our league, the footballs were never broken in. They come right out of the box. That’s a challenge for a college quarterback. I mean, they’re slippery, they’re not broken in. And then you get in here, the temperature is maybe a little cooler than you think. It’s air-conditioned. So learning all of those things, getting adjusted to that… The prep that they have now is so much different than just 20 years ago,” he mentioned.

Fast-forward to the 2025 Combine, and Payton’s still playing the long game.

The Kansas connection: Payton’s new target

Enter Devin Neal, Kansas Jayhawks’ bulldozing RB. Neal’s 4.58 sec 40-yard dash raised eyebrows, but his 1.59-second 10-yard split? A red flag for some. Not for Denver. They’ve met with him formally, a source confirmed. Neal’s resume—three straight 1,000-yard seasons—screams reliability. Payton’s hunt for a versatile “joker” back might’ve found its wildcard.

Neal’s game isn’t about breakneck speed—it’s about breaking tackles. His 207-yard, 3-TD demolition of Colorado showcased old-school, Emmitt Smith-esque grit. Payton, who turned Alvin Kamara into a Saints legend, sees potential. Neal’s 37.5-inch vertical? Icing on the cake. Denver’s eyeing him for Round 3, a steal if his hands catch up to his hustle. But the Broncos aren’t done stacking weapons.

With picks in hand, Payton’s targeting Nix’s Oregon buddy, WR Tez Johnson, and eyeing Missouri’s Luther Burden III. Burden’s 91.3 PFF screen grade aligns perfectly with Denver’s scheme. Meanwhile, Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan—a 6’5” red-zone nightmare—draws comparisons to Demaryius Thomas. For a team craving size, he’s prime ribs.

Payton’s masterstroke? Turning Nix’s Combine stumbles into a Cinderella story while quietly courting Neal. In a league obsessed with 40 times and QB obsessions, Denver’s betting on grit over glamour

So, Broncos fans—will Neal be the Kamara to Nix’s Brees, or is this another Combine smoke screen? The draft clock’s ticking…