In advance of next Thursday's NFL draft, one AFC assistant coach views Oregon quarterback Bo Nix as the "opposite" of UNC signal-caller Drake Maye, who's seen as a risky quarterback NFL draft prospect with a high ceiling. On the contrary, this coach sees Nix as a safe prospect with a "very high floor."

"He's the opposite of Drake: He's very high floor and a little bit of a lower ceiling. He's talented. I think he throws the ball really well. He's a good athlete. He's older (turned 24 in February). It's almost like he's been constructed in a lab. He's really good in the interview process -- I think that's what's raised him up. I see him perfect for a situation like Denver with Sean Payton and running that system and doing exactly what you want him to do and not much extra outside of that."

The coach made the remarks to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, who asked NFL executives, scouts and coaches to rank the top 20 quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL draft class.

Maye finished third behind USC's Caleb Williams and LSU's Jayden Daniels. Nix took sixth, with Michigan's J.J. McCarthy and Washington's Michael Penix Jr. landing in front of him.

Another NFC scout expressed concerns about Nix's ceiling while comparing him to Maye's UNC predecessor, ex-Washington Commanders starting quarterback (and now Seattle Seahawks backup) Sam Howell.

"He's 6-2, he's 220, he's a mobile enough athlete -- all that stuff. But is he gonna be good enough? I think he's going to be a little bit like Sam Howell. I don't know that he's going to be a bona fide starter in the NFL. Arm talent's not the best; he was accurate on the short stuff, but it was the factor of the offense, to me, this (past) year. He doesn't feel like a guy that has the physical ability to really carry a team. Will somebody believe he can (start)? Probably. Somebody might fall in love with him."

Meanwhile, scouts and coaches alike raved about Maye's potential but expressed concerns about a few things too. One NFC scouting director had him at No. 2 overall, while an AFC coordinator said he had "all the raw traits."

In addition, an NFC scout said that "Drake's going to a be a big project because he's just not naturally accurate." Another AFC assistant coach called him "the biggest high-ceiling, low-floor guy."

As for the B/R NFL Scouting Department, that crew loves Maye, who is listed as QB1 overall and third among all prospects. Nix is QB5 and 62nd overall.

We'll soon find out how NFL teams really feel about Maye and Nix with the draft starting on Thursday in Detroit.