The college football season is officially over. Now, the majority of fans wait eagerly for the 2026 NFL Draft, wondering where their favorite players will end up in the pros. Luckily, two other professional football leagues will kick off before the next Oregon Ducks or NFL season. Those being the Canadian Football League and the United Football League.
While far inferior to the NFL, both leagues boast former collegiate talent and pathways to the NFL. There are a handful of former Oregon Ducks representing the school in the CFL, such as Vernon Adams Jr. and Dillon Mitchell. However, only one Duck is on a roster in the UFL, which will start its season this spring.
Kickoff Weekend is STACKED!
— United Football League (@TheUFL) January 22, 2026
New rivalries. Old grudges.
This is gonna be fun 😏 pic.twitter.com/97WCSOp5gG
Chase Cota is lonely Duck in UFL
The only player representing the Oregon Ducks is former wide receiver Chase Cota. While he spent four years at UCLA, Cota transferred to Oregon for the 2022 season. His father, Chad Cota, was a defensive back for the Ducks from 1991 to 1994, and then was drafted by the Carolina Panthers.
Chase had a great season with the Ducks, helping them secure a Holiday Bowl victory over North Carolina. In 2022, Cota had 487 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games played due to injury. Unfortunately, he did not do enough to get drafted to the NFL.
He was signed as an undrafted free agent to the Detroit Lions and has since bounced around different practice squads in the NFL. Now, he will have another opportunity at professional football, this time in the UFL. In the latest UFL draft, Cota was selected by the Dallas Renegades.
If you wanted to get into the UFL and were not sure who to cheer for, now you do. The UFL is always fun to watch, and many players, like kickers Brandon Aubrey and Jake Bates, and WR KaVontae Turpin, find their way to the NFL. Hopefully, Cota will be able to do the same.