Why Bo Nix’s rocky Auburn tenure may help him more than ever in NFL: “I learned so much”

Recall is among a quarterback’s best friends.

Maybe it’s a subtle movement that gives away a defense’s intention.

A coverage that worked against you last week that now another team is trying to emulate.

A tip you found in the midst of film study that unlocks a big play in crunch time.

Maybe it’s the names of the people you come across between the parking lot and the cafeteria.

Recall is just being able to apply what you’ve learned and do it quickly. In some ways, it’s the entire job.

It’s been said in many different ways throughout training camp, but one of the most frequently cited attributes about Bo Nix is his ability to learn. He has a foundation of knowledge already built over 61 collegiate games. He’s been a starting quarterback since midway through his eighth-grade season and has consistently been ahead of the curve in terms of the playbook, preparedness and overall demeanor.

“His maturity is something that everybody’s speaking to,” right tackle Mike McGlinchey said early in training camp.

On any given play, Nix might be asked to take what he’s learned previously — whether the night before in a last-minute film study or months before in an OTA walk-through — and apply it in a split-second decision.

In a broader sense, though, he is also trying to apply lessons at a slower pace. Day by day. Week by week.