The Oregon Ducks sent seven players into the 2026 NFL Draft in April, and a handful more landed opportunities as undrafted free agents. With preseason games about to get rolling, several of those rookies are already drawing attention in camp.
One of the loudest early buzz names is Malik Benson. The receiver spent one season in Eugene as a transfer and climbed the Ducks’ depth chart fast, and now he’s trying to do the same thing with the Las Vegas Raiders as a sixth-round pick.
An injury to Jalen Nailor has opened the door a bit wider, and Benson is making noise with practice clips that show off both his speed and his connection with quarterback and No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza. He’ll get his first shot to build on that hype Thursday against the Arizona Cardinals, who also feature former Oregon linebacker Jordan Burch.
"I really like our sixth-round pick, Malik Benson," veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins told ESPN's Dan Graziano.
Tight end Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon’s first selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, went No. 16 to the New York Jets after a junior season that produced eight touchdowns and 560 yards on 51 catches. His camp has been interrupted by a hernia injury, though an Aug.
11 ESPN update said he’s now jogging on the sidelines during practice. Jets coach Aaron Glenn said Sadiq suffered a setback in his recovery, but the expectation is still that he’ll be ready by week 1.
Safety Dillon Thieneman followed as Oregon’s second pick, landing with the Chicago Bears at No. 25.
In his lone season as a transfer junior, he piled up 92 tackles, five pass deflections, a sack and two interceptions. His speed at the combine caught the Bears’ attention, and Ben Johnson has praised that trait in camp.
The practice tape has been mixed, though, with Thieneman having some trouble matching up with tight end Colston Loveland before picking off Caleb Williams at the end of the first week of August. If he keeps trending up through camp and Chicago’s three preseason games, starting as a rookie in the secondary is on the table.
The Bears open their preseason Saturday against the Cleveland Browns.
Cornerback Jadon Canady has also been one of the Oregon rookies to watch. Like Benson and Thieneman, he transferred in for his final season and boosted his stock with a strong year in Eugene, posting 39 tackles, six pass deflections, a forced fumble and two interceptions in 2025.
The Kansas City Chiefs took him in the fourth round, and he’s fighting for a starting cornerback job in a crowded room. He’s competing with veteran Kader Kohou for the nickel spot - with The Athletic’s Jesse Newell reporting Canady appears to be ahead - and third-year player Chris Rolland-Wallace.
Kansas City’s first preseason game comes Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams, who also have former Oregon tight end Terrance Ferguson.
Bryce Boettcher rounded out the group of Oregon names making noise. The former two-sport Duck, who started as a walk-on, went No. 135 to the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth round.
He finished his final season at Oregon in 2025 with 136 tackles, five pass deflections, a sack, two forced fumbles and an interception. Indianapolis has been rotating linebackers with the first-team defense in practice, and Boettcher is clearly leaning into the chance to prove himself.
In a media scrum clip shared by The Athletic’s James Boyd, he made his mindset clear.
“I just kind of expected that the best player who shows the best effort and plays the fastest should play,” Boettcher said. “They’ve given me a good opportunity to showcase my ability so far.”
The Colts open their preseason Thursday against the New England Patriots, who have former Ducks cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
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