Oregon’s run of NFL draft success since 2020 has been impossible to miss, and the first-round group alone tells the story. Seven Ducks went in the opening round from 2020 through 2025, a stretch that reflects both the talent Dan Lanning and his staff have brought to Eugene and the way those players have been developed for the next level.
CBS Sports recently stacked up all 191 first-round picks from that span, leaving out the 2026 class because those players haven’t taken the field yet. The outlet split the group into three buckets: best first-round decisions, solid picks with mixed returns and incomplete grades, and the most disappointing selections. Oregon’s seven first-rounders landed across all three.
The biggest names from Eugene showed up in the top tier. Justin Herbert, Penei Sewell, Christian Gonzalez and Bo Nix were all placed among the “Best first-round decisions.”
Herbert went No. 6 overall, Sewell No. 14, Gonzalez No. 30 and Nix No.
- Sewell, Gonzalez and Nix have all been part of teams that reached the conference championship, while Gonzalez added a huge moment in the 2025 AFC Championship game, picking off the Nix-less Denver Broncos in a play that helped send the New England Patriots to the Super Bowl.
Herbert hasn’t reached that stage yet, but CBS Sports still views him as a top-10 quarterback on talent alone, with team success expected to follow.
Oregon’s 2025 first-round duo landed in the middle group. Josh Conerly Jr., taken No. 68, was ranked ahead of Derrick Harmon, who went No.
- Conerly had a rough start in pass protection as a rookie, though the early stretch came against Micah Parson, Maxx Crosby and Brian Burns in the first three weeks.
He steadied as the season went on and now looks like the future at offensive tackle for the Washington Commanders. Harmon’s case is less settled.
He appeared in only 12 games for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and while he was disruptive when he played, he still needs a longer body of work before anyone can call him a full first-round hit.
Then there’s Kayvon Thibodeaux, the only former Duck in the bottom tier. CBS Sports slotted him 131st among the 191 first-round picks since 2020.
Thibodeaux was drafted fifth overall in 2022 and has flashed the kind of production that made him such a high selection, including a career-high 11.5 sacks in 2023. But injuries and inconsistency have kept him from sustaining that level, and the New York Giants responded by trading for Burns and drafting Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter third overall in last year’s draft.
With Thibodeaux now presumably on the trade block as the Giants’ third edge rusher, a change of scenery may be what he needs to get his career moving again.
In Other News...
Oregon Is Quietly In The Mix For A Rival Legacy Quarterback
Oregon has quietly joined the early mix for four-star quarterback Titus Huard, a 2028 prospect whose recruitment is already drawing national attention. Dan Lanning and his staff have made their interest known, and Huard has picked up offers from Oregon, Washington and Ohio State while making the rounds to multiple programs as his process stays wide open.
For the Ducks, the appeal goes beyond the usual quarterback chase because the Pacific Northwest rivalry is already hovering over the conversation. Huards list of suitors keeps growing, and with other major programs still involved, this is the kind of recruitment that could take shape over a long stretch before it ever gets to a decision point. [Read more 🡒]
Two Oregon Transfers Could Change Everything For Dan Lanning's Title Push
Oregons 2026 transfer haul is already giving Dan Lanning another strong roster-building argument as the Ducks try to stay in the national title hunt. The class has grown to 13 additions and is ranked No. 4 in the Big Ten by 247Sports, a sign that the Ducks are not just patching holes but targeting players who can step into meaningful roles right away.
Among the most important newcomers are safety Perich from Minnesota and wide receiver Iverson Hooks from UAB, two arrivals expected to matter far beyond depth-chart chatter. Perich brings the kind of back-end presence Oregon has leaned on in recent years, while Hooks gives the offense another intriguing option as the Ducks keep chasing the first championship in program history. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Lanning Is Already Making An Early In-State Recruiting Push
With official visits wrapped up and the 2027 board starting to settle, Oregons attention is already moving to the next wave of prospects, and the Ducks are wasting little time in the 2028 cycle. One of the clearest signs of that shift is the early push for in-state tight end Presley DeLance, a player the staff has identified as a major priority while it continues to lean harder into local recruiting.
That approach fits a broader trend under Dan Lanning, with Oregon placing more emphasis on keeping top talent close to home after landing multiple in-state commitments in the 2027 class. DeLance has become an early focal point in that effort, and the Ducks have already begun building the relationship that could shape how the states next recruiting class unfolds. [Read more 🡒]