AFC Notes: Bo Nix, Xavier Worthy, Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs

Broncos

Denver stayed at pick No. 12 and grabbed 2024 first-round QB Bo Nix instead of moving up for one of the five quarterbacks taken before him. Broncos HC Sean Payton loves Nix as a prospect, and Nix will look to prove his new coach right.

“First and foremost, it’s just a huge honor,” Nix said, via the team’s YouTube. “He could have picked anybody else in this draft, and he chose me. With that comes great responsibility and it’s one that I can’t take lightly, and I won’t take it for granted. It starts with the next best thing I can do. I’m about to finish this press conference, and then go finish up the [facility] tour and then have a few weeks before the rookie minicamps.”

“I have a lot to learn before then, so I’m glad there are two weeks of buffer time so I can get a lot of that in. I’m just excited to be his guy. It’s not lightly said. But again, it goes back to I don’t want to just be a draft pick. I want to be able to show my improvements and show that I can do what he picked me to do, and that’s go out there and win games or help win games or do whatever I can to put this team in a better situation.”

Chargers

Mike Sando of The Athletic cites an anonymous NFL executive who had high praise for the Chargers’ draft selections including first-round OT Joe Alt and second-round WR Ladd McConkey. 

“Joe Alt was a slam dunk pick,” one executive said. “People wanted to make them pick receivers, but trading back up to get Ladd McConkey, who is maybe the best route runner in the draft, was cool. I think they nailed this first draft, didn’t try to do too much, just did a nice job hitting doubles. They got good players with a path to playing.”

Another executive could see fifth-round CB Tarheeb Stills being a nickel option, fellow fifth-round CB Cam Hart being a potential starter, and RB Kimani Vidal also being a “three-down starter.”

“The Chargers in the past seemed to do a pretty good job in the first round, but then would reach more in the mid to later rounds,” an executive said. “Time will tell, but I think (Tarheeb) Still is going to be a good nickel, Cam Hart has a chance to start and the running back (Kimani Vidal) has a chance to be a three-down starter.”

Chiefs

Chiefs HC Andy Reid said first-round WR Xavier Worthy will start off getting time as a return specialist and they will work him into the receiver rotation.

“I think he is a heck of a football player,” Reid said, via ChiefsWire. “Number one, he does a few different things. He’s a good wide receiver and also a good special teams returner. He’ll end up doing both to start things off with. We’ll just work him into that rotation when we get him (into) the wide receiver rotation, and with Hollywood (Marquise Brown) and Rashee (Rice) and (Travis) Kelce, you know, the other folks, so it should give Pat (Patrick Mahomes) another weapon to use.”

Reid said they felt like they needed to trade up four spots from No. 32 to acquire Worthy. 

“We wanted him, and we just felt that he started getting down there; somebody might jump us and pick him up,” said Reid. “Brett does a great job of this; he got a real good feel for the people that have interest in that position and that player and then where he needs to go to attack it.”

Reid said they were enamored by Worthy’s stamina and his love of the game. 

“I like his makeup,” Reid said. “I like the fact that he can go all day and that he loves football. And you guys know how we’re wired here. Brett (Veach) makes that a real characteristic that he likes. Likewise, as coaches, we love that. If you find that out about a guy and you can tell he’s passionate about the sport, I think you’ll see this when you meet him. And he loves to play. And he’s good at it.”