Bo Nix gets his college number from Zach Wilson
May 9, 2024, 1:43 PM
Bo Nix held up jersey number 1 on the day after the Broncos drafted him — but that was just a prop, the number to denote the round in which he was picked. When Broncos rookie minicamp begins, he’ll bear a more familiar jersey number.
The Broncos’ No. 12 overall pick will wear jersey No. 10, the team announced Thursday, meaning that Bo Nix will wear the same jersey number that he donned at Auburn, Oregon and in high school. The history of No. 10 with the Nix family goes back to his father, Patrick Nix, who wore it during his time as Auburn’s quarterback from 1992-95.
The number briefly belonged to former Jets quarterback Zach Wilson, acquired in a trade made during the week of the draft. According to KUSA-Ch. 9’s Mike Klis, Wilson — who wore No. 2 during his three seasons with the New York Jets — voluntarily surrendered it to the rookie quarterback.
Wilson will don jersey number 4. Jarrett Stidham takes No. 8.
The Broncos’ other draft choices beyond Nix took the following numbers, as announced by the Broncos:
Edge rusher Jonah Elliss: No. 52
Wide receiver Troy Franklin: No. 16
Cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine: No. 31
Running back Audric Estimé: No. 37
Wide receiver Devaughn Vele: No. 81
Guard Nick Gargiulo: No. 66
Elliss claims a jersey most recently worn in the regular season by Netane Muti, but which belonged to Randy Gradishar for the first two seasons of his Hall-of-Fame career (1974-75).
Franklin dons the jersey number worn by kicker Wil Lutz last year. Lutz now wears jersey number 3, which previously belonged to Russell Wilson. The most accomplished Broncos player in jersey number 16 is Jake Plummer, their quarterback from 2003-06.
Abrams-Draine takes the jersey number worn by Justin Simmons during his eight Broncos seasons prior to his March release.
Estimé inherits the number worn by Riley Moss last year before he changed numbers this offseason. Running back Marlon Mack also wore the number in 2022, with safety P.J. Locke donning it prior to Mack. Other Broncos running backs to wear No. 37 include Anthony Lynn (1993, 1997-99), Cecil Sapp (2003-07) and Jeremiah Johnson (2011).
Vele chose the number that belonged to wide receiver Tim Patrick before he changed to jersey No. 12 last season. Vele has been compared with Patrick in regards to his skill set and frame; both are Utah products.
Gargiulo’s No. 66 has a robust Broncos history, most prominently with Ring of Fame center Tom Nalen (1994-2008), defensive end Brison Manor (he wore it from 1977-83 before donning No. 69 in 1984) after a return from a 6-game stint in Tampa Bay), guard Dalton Risner (2019-22) and guard/center Manny Ramirez (2013-14).
