Oregon Ducks predicted to break program NFL draft record in 2026, per ESPN
In 2023, Lanning's first year in the program, they tied the Oregon Ducks' record for most players drafted with a total of six; in 2024, they broke that program record by having eight players drafted; this past year in 2025, the Ducks once again broke that record with 10 players drafted, including two in the first round with DT Derrick Harmon and OT Josh Conerly Jr.
Now, going into the 2026 season, expectations are once again high, with ESPN predicting that Oregon will once again break its program record and send a total of 12 players to the NFL draft, including four players in the first round.
At the top of their draft board is Nevada transfer, OT Isaiah World, who stands at 6-foot-8, 318 pounds. World is projected to be an early first-round pick, with a shot at going No. 1 overall, per ESPN. Elsewhere on the offensive line, ESPN's Jordan Reid sees guys like Emmanuel Pregnon, Iapani Laloulu, and Alex Harkey all hearing their names called, likely on Day 3 of the draft.
The Ducks have another potential first-rounder on the offensive side of the ball, with tight end Kenyon Sadiq drawing some early buzz in NFL draft circles.
"Sadiq is my top-ranked tight end and will take over the primary role from the departed Terrance Ferguson," Reid writes." Sadiq caught 24 passes for 308 yards and two scores as a backup in 2024, and he has the traits and upside to hear his name called in the first round."
Shifting to the backfield, Oregon's RB duo of Makhi Hughes and Noah Whittington will likely leap to the NFL this offseason as well. Reid predicts that Hughes, a Tulane transfer with 22 TDs in his first two seasons, has a mid-round grade, while Whittington is more of a late-round player.
Switching over to the defensive side of the ball, the bulk of the hype is around safety Dillon Thieneman, who transferred to Oregon from Purdue this offseason. With six interceptions as a true freshman and a tremendous sophomore season built on top of that, Reid gives Thieneman a top-75 grade, with potential to go in the first round. Reid also sees linebacker Bryce Boettcher as a Day 3 player right now, but wouldn't be surprised to see him improve that mark this season.
Moving up to the defensive line, DE Matayo Uiagalelei is the guy who many NFL scouts are focused on. After leading the Big Ten with 10.5 sacks a year ago, Uiagalelei has received Day 2 grades, but another standout season could easily improve that to become a first-round lock. Meanwhile, defensive tackle A'Mauri Washington has reportedly received mid-round grades from NFL scouts after appearing at No. 4 on Bruce Feldman's Freaks List.
In total, that's 11 players who Reid mentioned, and there are several candidates as to who could be the 12th Duck to hear his name called. Whether it's Bear Alexander, Theran Johnson, Jadon Canady, Matthew Bedford, or Malik Benson, several guys could play themselves into contention this year. Regardless of who that 12th guy is, it feels like a decent bet that Oregon once again breaks the program record for number of draft picks in a single year, which is becoming quite a fun trend to follow under Lanning in Eugene.
Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
6 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Is Dak Prescott playing today? Injury news update for Cowboys quarterback
The Dallas Cowboys return to action on Saturday, getting back on the field for the first time since early January. The 2025 season is just a few weeks away, and it's time for the ramp up that is the NFL exhibition season. The Cowboys start things off with a matchup against Sean McVay's Los Angeles Rams. While Dallas hasn't been on the field in seven months, it's been even longer for their franchise quarterback. Dak Prescott hasn't suited up since November 3, 2024, when he left the game against the Atlanta Falcons with a season-ending hamstring injury. It took Prescott several months to get himself walking properly, and now that the games have arrived, is he ready to go? For those just returning to the team, they can rejoice in knowing that Prescott has been able to participate in offseason activities and has been a full go at training camp. With the injury behind him, the questions turn to whether or not he'll get game action as part of his rehabilitation. Prescott hasn't played in the preseason since the prior decade, and it does not appear that streak will end on Saturday. "I don't think I'm playing in this game, I'm not sure though," Prescott said, via "But I can tell you that I'd be ready to, if it was this one, the next one, at any point. It's not necessarily my call, especially not having played since last October. I'm all for playing." Prescott's absence means that second-year QB Joe Milton III will get plenty of snaps as the Cowboys hope to find out just how much he has progressed since being acquired for a Day 3 selection in the spring. Coming over from New England, Milton has a huge arm that has regularly been on display throughout training camp, and he's working on the finer aspects of the position. 10 years ago, Prescott put the world on notice as a rookie in his first exhibition, against these same Rams. Milton enters this game with more experience, but it will be a similar opportunity. Also to get snaps will be young veteran backup Will Grier. This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Is Dak Prescott playing today? Injury news update for Cowboys QB
USA Today
7 minutes ago
- USA Today
Wisconsin wide receiver resigns with former NFL team
The Houston Texans signed former Wisconsin wide receiver Quintez Cephus on Wednesday. The move continues a busy few seasons for the former Badger. Cephus spent parts of the 2024 campaign with the Buffalo Bills, Texans and Los Angeles Rams, though he was never able to crack any of the three teams' active rosters. He then spent a few days of the 2025 training camp with the San Francisco 49ers. He signed with the team on July 24, but was waived just days later on July 28. Cephus now returns to the Texans, where he excelled during the 2024 preseason. He joins a crowded wide receiver room as a projected fourth-string, alongside Daniel Jackson and Xavier Johnson. The room's third-string options are John Metchie III, Braxton Berrios and Xavier Hutchinson. The former Badger is looking to make his first NFL 53-man roster since he spent 2020-22 with the Detroit Lions. He turned heads as a rookie, catching 20 passes for 349 yards and two touchdowns. Injuries then plagued his 2021 and 2022 campaigns, halting his early-career progress. Cephus was then released before the 2023 season after he was one of several Lions suspended for violating the NFL's gambling policy. Cephus is looking to recapture form from that 2020 campaign, as well as from his terrific 2019 season leading the Badgers' receiver corps. He finished that 2019 season with 59 receptions, 901 yards and seven touchdowns. No Wisconsin receiver has matched those yardage and touchdown totals since. Cephus' play will be worth watching as the Texans begin their preseason schedule on Saturday against the Minnesota Vikings. Notably, former Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz could be the one throwing him the football. The former Badger and Florida Gator signal-caller is listed as the Texans' third-string quarterback and could see significant action. Both former Badgers will need to deliver strong preseason performances to have a chance at cracking the team's 53-man roster. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
USA Today
7 minutes ago
- USA Today
NFL insider attempts to troll New York Giants fans over Shedeur Sanders
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who experienced one of the most unprecedented slides in NFL draft history, made his league debut for the Cleveland Browns on Friday night and performed well. Sanders completed 14 of his 23 pass attempts for 138 yards and two touchdowns, while taking two sacks. He also gained 19 yards on four carries. During the game, former ESPN and CBS Sports insider Josina Anderson took the opportunity to troll fans of the New York Giants. Or at least attempt to troll them. When Giants fans shot back, reminding Anderson that 31 other teams also passed on Sanders repeatedly, she doubled down. "I don't understand why this is the go-to reply from Giants fans. Whose cleats did Shedeur Sanders rock before the Draft?" she wrote on X. "Don't get it cracking now... Worry about the Bills." Sanders, of course, caused quite a stir before the Alamo Bowl in late December when he displayed a pair of Giants-inspired cleats. However, he never actually wore the cleats, which were created by shoe designer "Nomad Customs." In the end, it was much ado about nothing, as his father, NFL legend Deion Sanders, explained. "He has some Tennessee cleats, too. And some Raiders cleats," Deion said on Tamron Hall Show. "He got every color cleats." The Giants had long been connected to Sanders, as scouts and front office personnel regularly attended games in Boulder and around the country. But an apparent falling out between head coach Brian Daboll and Sanders seemingly led to the Giants passing -- something the Browns did six times before eventually selecting Sanders in Round 5. Reports suggest that Daboll deliberately included an error in an install package and Sanders didn't catch it. It left the quarterback prospect "pissed." "Shedeur didn't have a great interview with Brian Daboll in a private visit," NFL insider Todd McShay said in April. "An install package came in. Preparation wasn't there for it. [He] got called out on it. Didn't like that. Brian didn't appreciate him not liking it." There were also questions about Sanders' lax attitude, which Deion essentially called fake news. Anderson also offered a fierce, almost personal defense of Shedeur at the time. In the end, the troll job fell flat as Giants fans anxiously await the NFL debut of Jaxson Dart on Saturday.
