In the 2024 NFL draft, Dan Lanning and the Ducks broke the program record for players drafted, with eight, and could very well "re-break" that mark in 2025. NFL Network draft expert Daniel Jeremiah considers seven Ducks to be in his top 150 prospects in the draft.
Defensive tackle Derrick Harmon is the most likely to be picked in the first round, with offensive tackle Josh Conerly just behind him. The Ducks have had a player selected in the first round of the NFL draft in five straight drafts. (Justin Herbert in 2020, Penei Sewell in 2021, Kayvon Thibodeaux in 2022, Christian Gonzalez in 2023, and Bo Nix in 2024).
Oregon's success through the NFL draft has become its most powerful recruiting tool, as our Dale Bliss suggested. The more Oregon players who are picked in the draft, and succeed in the NFL, the better Oregon's recruiting classes will become.
24. Derrick Harmon - Defensive Tackle
Derrick Harmon was a Duck for just one season, after looking NFL ready for the Michigan State Spartans prior to his transfer. Although he was a transfer, Harmon raised his draft stock and skillset while at Oregon.
The Ducks under Dan Lanning have become a premier destination for both elite high school and transfer portal defensive linemen, and Harmon is the latest of numerous talents to join the Ducks on the defensive line.
Harmon was incredibly dominant in the middle for Oregon. He had five sacks, eleven tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and added four pass breakups as well. He is more than likely to be picked in the first round, continuing the Ducks aforementioned streak.
39. Josh Conerly Jr. - Offensive Tackle
Josh Conerly was a former five-star recruit, and one of Dan Lanning's first signings as head coach of the Ducks. Just three years later, he is entering the draft as one of the best at his position. Not a good look for the "Oregon doesn't develop" crowd.
Conerly could very well join Harmon in the first round, but is not as likely, according to NFL draft experts.
Oregon faced several elite edge rushers in 2024, and Conerly shut them all down. When the Ducks faced Penn State in the Big Ten championship, he held Abdul Carter to zero sacks or pressures. He was also great going against Ohio State's J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer.
The casual fan will bring up when Marshall edge rusher ran over Conerly at Senior Bowl practice, but not the fact that he was named the best offensive lineman at the event. Conerly is a great prospect with a bright future.
58. Terrance Ferguson - Tight End
The third highest ranked Duck in Jeremiah's list, Ferguson was a key contributor for Oregon the last three seasons, and even had a pair of touchdowns in his freshman season as well. He ran the fastest forty yard dash of any tight end at the NFL combine, running a 4.63.
While his 2024 season had a slow start, he was one of the most valuable assets in the Ducks offense. It felt like every time Oregon needed a play on fourth down, Ferguson was the answer -- notably, against Wisconsin and Penn State.
He can "win" on the field in a variety of ways, and is a very good blocker, projecting as a versatile piece in any offense in the league.
Unfortunately for Ferguson, the 2025 class is absolutely loaded with tight end talent, including fellow Big Ten tight ends Tyler Warren (Penn State) and Colston Loveland (Michigan). It feels as if Ferguson is being lost amongst all this talent, but will still be picked fairly high in the draft. The Ducks have not had a tight end drafted since David Paulson in 2012, taken in the seventh round to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
64. Jordan Burch - Defensive End
Jordan Burch transferred to the Ducks by way of South Carolina in the 2023 season. Once considered to be a five-star bust, Burch developed quickly and excelled for the Ducks.
Burch is a versatile prospect, playing at multiple spots along the defensive line in both years. What stands out most for Burch is the way he can move at his size. At the NFL combine, he measured in at 6 feet 4 inches, 279 pounds, likely well below his playing weight.
Burch showcased his athleticism not just rushing the quarterback and stopping the run, but also running a fake punt for the Ducks against Maryland, for an explosive gain. He could cut weight and play off the edge, or gain weight and play with his hand in the ground.
97. Jamaree Caldwell - Defensive Tackle
As a 1-technique, or 2i-technique defensive lineman, it can be difficult to rise up draft boards. While Caldwell isn't quite the athletic freak that Michigan's Mason Graham is, or the physical outlier Georgia (and now Eagles) defensive tackle Jordan Davis is, Caldwell is still a massive human with loads of talent.
Caldwell's job isn't the "sexy" one in football. Consistently "eating" double teams and plugging gaps is a difficult task that often gets no glory. The Houston transfer spent just one season with the Ducks, but started every game. Alongside Harmon, they became one of the most formidable interior lines in the conference, and will both be selected in the 2025 NFL draft.
Measuring in at over 330 pounds at the NFL combine, and moving how he does at his size, he will be a very hard player for teams to pass up on, particularly early in day three of the draft.
105. Jeffrey Bassa - Linebacker
Bassa was a recruit that stayed through the Cristobal-Lanning transition, and originally played safety for the Ducks. Once Lanning took over, he saw Bassa's potential at linebacker and ran with it.
He became a full-time starter in 2023, and also emerged as the leader of the defense for the Ducks. As the "green-dot" linebacker for Oregon, he relayed the plays, got the defense aligned, and acted as the vocal leader for the unit.
Bassa battled injury through the early weeks of the 2024 season, and was over shadowed by teammate, fellow linebacker Bryce Boettcher throughout the season.
148. Dillon Gabriel - Quarterback
Rounding out Jeremiah's list of the best Oregon players in the draft is quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Measuring in at just 5 feet 11 inches, his stock in the draft is limited. While smaller quarterbacks like Kyler Murray and Russell Wilson have succeeded in the league, they had different skillsets than Gabriel entering the draft.
While anything is possible in the league, and Gabriel played a lot of college football (in fact, more than anyone ever) he projects to be a backup or third option in the league. Sometimes, even the best quarterbacks in college football are just that -- great college quarterbacks.