The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon with Pick No. 21 in the first round of Thursday’s 2025 NFL Draft. Harmon stands 6’4.5 and 311 pounds, but ran a 4.95-second 40-yard dash at this year’s combine. His selection marks the sixth-straight year in which a Duck was drafted in the first round.

The Steelers were looking for help on their defensive front to aid star edge rusher TJ Watt. Harmon’s got the positional versatility to help out across the defensive line, but he’ll likely begin his Steelers career as a traditional defensive tackle.

Harmon was a three-star recruit out of high school who redshirted at Michigan State before playing two years with the Spartans. He led the team in tackles (40) as a redshirt sophomore but transferred to Oregon in April of 2024.

Harmon had a career year with the Ducks, tallying 45 tackles, five sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries while starting all 14 games. He led the nation’s interior defenders with 55 quarterback pressures and recorded three Pro Football Focus grades (Pass rush, run defense, overall defense) above 80.0. 

Harmon did struggle as a tackler in 2024, but his ability to disrupt on the interior earned him second-team All-Big Ten honors and made him a highly-regarded prospect in this year’s class.

Harmon had been linked to the Steelers throughout the pre-draft process. He took a Top-30 visit with the Steelers earlier this month and was twice named a future Steeler by famed draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.

Now, he’s headed to Pittsburgh, where he’ll look to bolster one of the league’s top defenses. 

The NFL Draft will continue with Rounds 2-3 on Friday at 4:00 p.m., followed by Rounds 4-7 on Saturday at 9:00 a.m.

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Welcome to the final edition of Parsons’ Profiles, the NFL Draft countdown series where I examine the professional future of one Duck per day until the 2025 NFL Draft begins on April 24. Yesterday, I pondered the future for offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. Today, I’ll look at where defensive tackle Derrick Harmon could land in the first round of tomorrow’s draft.

Harmon graduated from Detroit, Michigan’s Loyola High School in 2021. Despite standing a hulking 6’4.5 and 359 pounds in high school, Harmon was only a three-star collegiate prospect. 247Sports Composite ranked him only the class’ 119th-best defensive lineman.

Harmon received nine collegiate offers and ultimately chose to stay near home as a Michigan State Spartan. He appeared in all twelve games for the Spartans as a redshirt freshman, starting five. He finished the year with 28 total tackles, two sacks, a fumble recovery and a pass deflection. 

As a redshirt sophomore, he started 10 games and led Michigan State’s defensive line with 40 total tackles. Harmon also tallied 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and another pass deflection.

Despite his increased workload, Harmon chose to enter the transfer portal on Dec. 4, 2023. He visited Auburn University, Ohio State and Oregon before newly-hired Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith convinced him to return to East Lansing on Dec. 27. 

It didn’t last. Harmon reentered the portal on April 23, 2024. He transferred to Oregon on May 3, citing an esteemed coaching staff and hardworking program mindset as factors which influenced his decision.

“You’ve got guys putting in extra work here,” Harmon said at Oregon’s summer media day. “Guys are not just leaving the facility after they get done with the mandatory. Guys are trying to get the unrequired here.” 

Harmon’s decision to transfer paid off immediately, as he tallied 1.5 sacks in the Ducks’ Week 1 win over the University of Idaho. Harmon would go on to start all 14 games as a B-gap defensive tackle, recording 45 total tackles, five sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Those numbers – all career highs – earned him second-team All-Big Ten honors as a redshirt junior.

Harmon led the nation’s interior defenders with 55 pressures. His Pro Football Focus (PFF) pass rush grade of 86.3 was tied for the nation’s fourth-best at defensive tackle, and his run defense and overall defense grades were also very good at 80.5 and 83.9 respectively.

However, Harmon struggled with tackling throughout the season. His PFF tackling grade was a truly awful 29.3, the second-worst mark among Duck defenders with more than 40 snaps.

“Though he led FBS interior linemen in pressures, he also led the position in missed tackles (12),” wrote The Athletic’s Dane Brugler. “Even the smallest improvements in his backfield finishing ability would have resulted in double-digit sacks.”

Although he struggled statistically as a tackler in 2024, Harmon also had some moments of run-stopping brilliance. 

During the first quarter of Oregon’s Oct. 12 matchup with then-undefeated Ohio State, Harmon fought across the face of Buckeyes guard Tegra Tshabola and towards a developing run lane. As running back Quinshon Judkins approached the line of scrimmage, Harmon powered past Tshabola, latched directly onto the football with both hands and simply ripped it away from Judkins for the turnover.

The play exemplified the kind of explosive interior penetration which makes Harmon an expected first-round pick. 

Harmon also impressed at the NFL combine, running a blazing 4.95-second 40-yard dash despite measuring in at 6 ‘4.5 and 311 pounds. His size, explosiveness and athleticism mean he could conceivably play anywhere from a 1-technique to a 5-technique, which makes him an even more enticing prospect.

Legendary NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. predicted Harmon would land with the Pittsburgh Steelers in back-to-back mock drafts on March 18 and April 8. The Steelers hold Pick No. 21 in tomorrow’s draft, and are looking for help across the defensive front. They hosted Harmon on a Top-30 visit on April 9.

Personally, I think Pick No. 21 is a realistic spot to see Harmon taken. I think his range extends from the middle to the end of the first round, and I’d be pretty shocked to see him fall into the second round given the amount of pre-draft attention he’s gotten.

Harmon has had Top-30 visits with four other teams: The Detroit Lions, New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns.

The Browns and the Jets hold Picks No. 2 and No. 7, respectively, and won’t pick again until the second round (picks No. 33 and No. 42, respectively). I think that puts both teams outside Harmon’s mid-late first round window, though either could conceivably trade back into the first for him if they miss out on top defensive tackle prospect Mason Graham of Michigan.

The Vikings, who hold Pick No. 25, added defensive linemen Jonathan Allen (6’3, 300 pounds) and Javon Hargrave (6’2, 305 pounds) in free agency this offseason. However, both are veterans who missed the majority of last season with injury. Harmon would give the Vikings a versatile boost of youth on their defensive front.

Meanwhile, the Lions hold Pick No. 28 and are looking to build around two young stars in defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and defensive tackle Alim McNeill. Harmon’s diverse combination of size and speed make him a flexible option, and the interior pressure he could provide alongside McNeill would make Hutchinson an even more dangerous threat off the edge.

Wherever Harmon goes, he’ll see immediate use, likely as a starter. His ability to generate interior pressure cannot be ignored, and he’s a little development away from being a legitimate weapon on the defensive front.

Tomorrow, the 2025 NFL Draft will begin, and fans will see college football’s best and brightest find their professional homes. Last year’s draft saw a record eight Ducks selected, but this year’s class could certainly break that record. 

Below is a full recap of how I graded the 10 Ducks I reviewed on Parsons’ Profiles:

Ajani Cornelius: Fourth- to seventh-round pick

Jamaree Caldwell: Fourth-round pick

Jordan James: Fourth- or fifth-round pick

Jeffrey Bassa: Third- or fourth-round pick

Dillon Gabriel: Fifth- to seventh-round pick

Tez Johnson: Fourth- to sixth-round pick

Jordan Burch: Second- or third-round pick

Terrance Ferguson: Second- or third-round pick

Josh Conerly Jr.: Fringe first-round pick

Derrick Harmon: First-round pick

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Welcome back to Parsons’ Profiles, the NFL Draft countdown series where I examine the professional future of one Duck per day until the 2025 NFL Draft begins on April 24. Yesterday, I looked at some professional fits for tight end Terrance Ferguson. Today, I’ll contemplate the future for offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr.

Conerly Jr. stormed onto the collegiate scene as a unanimous five-star recruit out of Seattle, Washington’s Rainier Beach High School. 247Sports ranked him the nation’s No. 1 offensive tackle and No. 8 overall prospect, with Gabe Brooks projecting him as a future first-round pick.

The 6’5, 283-pound recruit ultimately chose the Ducks over USC in April of 2022.

Although Conerly Jr. didn’t start as a freshman in 2022, he appeared in all 13 games. He saw use in special teams scenarios and jumbo packages, even catching a four-yard receiving touchdown against Colorado.

Conerly Jr. bulked up before his sophomore season, weighing in at 305 pounds on Oregon’s 2023 roster. He started all 14 games for the Ducks in 2023, allowing just one sack and leading Oregon’s offense to a nation-best five sacks allowed. 

He started another 14 games as a 315-pound true junior, this time against the talented defensive fronts of the Big Ten conference. Again, Conerly Jr. allowed just a single sack, earning first-team All-Big Ten and third-team AP All-American honors. He even ran in a two-point conversion attempt against Maryland.

Conerly Jr.’s Pro Football Focus (PFF) pass grade of 83.6 ranked No. 14 nationally among tackles with 500+ snaps. Though his run grade of 72.5 wasn’t quite as impressive, Conerly Jr. also proved himself to be a capable downfield blocker.

After the 2024 season, Conerly Jr. was invited to the Reese’s Senior Bowl. Though he was knocked down once by Marshall University’s Mike Green, the American team’s defensive linemen and linebackers voted Conerly Jr. the National team’s top offensive lineman. 

“Conerly was the best offensive lineman out here,” an anonymous NFL scout in attendance told Sports Illustrated. “He carried himself like a pro. That’s a player ready to play on Sunday.”

Conerly Jr. also impressed at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. He measured at 6’5, 311 pounds, and his 5.05-second 40-yard dash included the best 10-yard split among linemen (1.71 seconds). 

Teams came calling en masse following the combine. Aaron Wilson of Houston’s KPRC2 reported that Conerly Jr. met with the Houston Texans, Washington Commanders, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders, and San Francisco 49ers during the combine. According to CBS Sports, Conerly has since also had visits with the Philadelphia Eagles, Cincinnati Bengals and New Orleans Saints. 

All this attention bodes well for Conerly Jr., who was listed No. 35 in ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.’s final Big Board rankings. Kiper Jr. projected him to be selected by the Texans with the No. 25 overall pick in his most recent mock draft.

Meanwhile, ESPN’s Jordan Reid projected Conerly Jr. to fall just outside of the first round and land with the New York Giants at No. 34. Reid also thinks Conerly Jr., whose 33.5-inch arms aren’t ideal for a first-round tackle, could function at guard.

Conerly Jr. certainly has the quick feet and downfield run-blocking ability to play guard, but he’s been stalwart as a pass-protecting tackle in college, and I think most professional teams will at least start him out there.

I expect Conerly Jr. to be drafted somewhere in that No. 25-No. 34 range, though I think he could go slightly earlier if we see a run on offensive linemen in the mid-first round. Conerly Jr. will certainly develop and improve during his first few years in the league, but I think he’s already the kind of athletic and experienced prospect that could start immediately, even on contending teams picking late in the first.

The Kansas City Chiefs seem to only lose the Super Bowl when they allow pressure on superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Adding Conerly Jr. with pick No. 31 would be great value for the Chiefs, who allowed Mahomes to take the most sacks of his career (36) in 2024.

The Eagles, who defeated Mahomes and the Chiefs in Super Bowl 58, also have needs at offensive line. Legendary tackle Lane Johnson will soon be 35, and the Birds have an opening at guard to fill as well. Assuming he’s still available when the Eagles pick at No. 32, Conerly Jr. would be a great fit to whatever the Eagles’ needs end up being.

Although I consider him a first-round talent, it’s possible Conerly Jr. falls into the early second round. If he does drop, he’d be an absolute steal for any team who didn’t address offensive line needs with their first round pick. I would expect him to be taken within the first five Day 2 picks.

The Titans, who already met with Conerly Jr., hold Pick No. 35, so I’d be truly shocked to see him fall past that point. The Titans are expected to draft a quarterback with the first overall pick and will need to protect their investment.

Conerly Jr.’s draft position will remain uncertain until at least Thursday, but I believe he’ll be a starting tackle at the professional level for years to come. Conerly Jr. feels the same way.

“I believe I can be a cornerstone left tackle in the NFL,” Conerly Jr. said during an interview with the NFL’s “The Insiders”. “I’ve put in the work, and I’m ready to prove it.”

Tomorrow, Parsons’ Profiles will conclude by breaking down a transfer Duck whose explosive rise in Eugene makes him the Oregon prospect most likely to be drafted in the first round of April 24-26’s NFL Draft.

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Welcome back to Parsons’ Profiles, the NFL Draft countdown series where I examine the professional future of one Duck per day until the 2025 NFL Draft begins on April 24. Yesterday, I looked at some professional fits for defensive end Jordan Burch. Today, I’ll look at where tight end Terrance Ferguson could fit into this year’s deep tight end class.

Ferguson stood 6’5, weighed 230 pounds and was ranked 247Sports’ No. 10 tight end prospect when he graduated from Heritage High School in Littleton, Colorado as part of the class of 2021. He received 28 collegiate offers, including one from the nearby Colorado Buffaloes, but chose to commit to Oregon in June 2020.

Ferguson appeared in 52 games across four seasons with the Ducks, starting 37 of them. He led Oregon tight ends in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in each of those four years. 

As a junior in 2023, Ferguson tallied 42 catches for 414 yards and six touchdowns, which earned him first-team All-Pac-12 honors. In 2024, he tied a program record – single-season catches by a tight end – with 43 receptions, which resulted in 591 yards (second-most in program history), three touchdowns and third-team All-Big-Ten honors.

Ferguson left Oregon as the school’s all time positional leader in receptions (136) and receiving touchdowns (16), while his 1,537 receiving yards rank just below Ed Dickson’s 1,557.

However, receiving stats don’t tell the whole story. Ferguson struggled as a blocker throughout his tenure in Eugene. He averaged a very poor Pro Football Focus (PFF) pass block grade of just 54.1 and his averaged run block grade of 60.5 wasn’t much better.

Ferguson’s limitations as a blocking tight end clearly hurt his draft stock, as Pro Football Network’s Jacob Infante rated him a fifth-round prospect in January. However, things changed at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. 

First, Ferguson measured at an ideal 6’5, 247 pounds. Then, he ran a 4.63-second 40-yard dash and recorded a 39-inch vertical jump, both of which led all tight ends. He also tied for the fastest 10-yard split (1.55 seconds) and finished third with a 10’2 broad jump.

I graded Ferguson as Oregon’s biggest winner from the combine, but I wasn’t the only one to notice his success. In March, Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt ranked Ferguson the No. 4 tight end in this year’s class.

“I think in the NFL, (Ferguson) could be more of a flex guy. Like an H tight end, a moving tight end,” Klatt said on The Joel Klatt Show. “That’s a role I could see him filling, because he’s a quality player and certainly a guy that could have some success at the NFL level.” 

No. 4 is high praise in this year’s stacked tight end class. Penn State’s Tyler Warren is a shoe-in first round pick, and Michigan’s Coulston Loveland is likely to join him. Other talented ends include Louisiana State University’s Mason Taylor, Bowling Green State University’s Harold Fannin Jr. and the University of Miami’s Elijah Arroyo.

All of these tight ends have solid professional potential and are worthy Day Two selections. It’s possible an underrated tight end or two falls into the fourth round, but I doubt that’ll happen to Ferguson. His four years of collegiate production and fantastic combine showing clearly turned some professional heads.

Ferguson has met with four teams for Top-30 visits: the Denver Broncos, the Cleveland Browns, the Carolina Panthers and the Tennessee Titans.

The Broncos made a splash signing at tight end this offseason when they signed Evan Engram to a two-year, $23 million contract. However, Engram will be 31 later this year, and head coach Sean Payton has been searching for versatile, athletic players with whom he can build around second-year passer Bo Nix.

The Browns seem to be entering an offensive rebuild as they try to recover from the disaster that was the Deshaun Watson acquisition. Regardless of what happens in Cleveland at quarterback, Ferguson would fit in well on a Browns squad which has a solid offensive line but few threatening skill position players.

The Panthers seem to have finally connected with 2023 first-overall pick Bryce Young, but they still need to build a team around him. They’re expected by many to target a defender in round one, but they’d be wise to pick up a safety blanket like Ferguson, who was a consistent option for Young-sized Ducks passer Dillon Gabriel in 2024.

The Titans are expected to draft Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the first overall pick, but they’ll also need to bolster his supporting cast. Leading tight end Chig Okonkwo is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and Tennessee has little in the way of depth.

Ferguson’s size and athleticism make him a fit for these and many other teams, though a relative lack of in-line blocking ability will hamper his stock with others. I expect Ferguson to be drafted in the third round, and I’d be pretty surprised to see him any higher or lower. 

A team drafting him in round two will expect major contributions right away, while a fourth-round selection might mean we see Ferguson receive only rotational use. I don’t expect Ferguson to be an immediate star, but I do expect his athletic ability to make him a contributing factor for Sundays to come.

Tomorrow, Parsons’ Profiles will discuss a Duck who’s been hailed a future first-round pick since before he first stepped foot on campus.

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Welcome back to Parsons’ Profiles, the NFL Draft countdown series where I examine the professional future of one Duck per day until the 2025 NFL Draft begins on April 24. Yesterday, I discussed the past and contemplated the future for receiver Tez Johnson. Today, I’ll go over some of the many professional fits for defensive end Jordan Burch, whose physical gifts make him an appealing prospect.

Burch left Columbia, South Carolina’s Hammond School as a 6’4, 250-pound unanimous five-star prospect. He placed No. 4 on ESPN’s Top 300 list, while 247Sports Composite ranked him the No. 8 player in the class of 2020. He was even a team captain in the 2020 Under Armour All-America game.

Burch committed to his hometown school, the University of South Carolina, where he played in eight games as a freshman. He finished the COVID-shortened 2020 season (which didn’t impact his eligibility) with 19 total tackles. 

Burch started one game in 2021 as a true freshman, but rotated in throughout the season, finishing with 26 total tackles, a sack, a pass deflection and an interception which he returned 61 yards for a touchdown.

As a sophomore in 2022, Burch started all 13 games for the Gamecocks. He finished with 60 total tackles, 3.5 sacks and three pass deflections. 

Despite his success in Columbia, Burch decided to move on via the transfer portal, where head coach Dan Lanning and company came calling.

“Coming out of high school, (Lanning) was probably one of my favorite coaches that recruited me,” Burch said to reporters following the move to Eugene. 

Lanning was the University of Georgia’s outside linebackers coach in 2018 and maintained the position while also acting as defensive coordinator from 2019-2021. Burch made four unofficial visits and one official visit to the Bulldogs in 2019, but eventually chose South Carolina.

The second time around, Burch chose Lanning. Less than a week after entering the portal, where he was ranked 247Sports’ No. 1 edge rusher, Burch officially transferred to Oregon.

The transfer started 13 of Oregon’s 14 games in 2023, tallying 34 total tackles, three sacks and one pass breakup. All three sacks came in September, and he finished with a Pro Football Focus (PFF) pass rush grade of just 61.7. However, he posted a solid PFF run defense grade of 76.7 and his tackling grade of 88.6 ranked second-nationally among edge rushers.

Burch was hampered by injuries in 2024, missing four games and starting only nine. However, he finished with a career-best 8.5 sacks as well as 31 total tackles, five pass deflections and a forced fumble.

Though his PFF run defense grade declined to 68.1, his tackling and pass rush grades were both above 80 and he posted a career-best overall defense grade of 77.6. He also showed off his incredible athleticism when he carried a fake punt 36 yards to convert a first down against Maryland.

Burch’s productive senior season was followed by a solid performance at the 2025 NFL Combine. He measured at an imposing 6’4 and 279 pounds, which made his 4.67-second 40-yard dash time even more impressive.

Burch’s ideal frame and tangible athleticism make him an interesting draft candidate at defensive end, even if he lacked the kind of collegiate production you’d expect from a five-star high schooler.

“He needs to work on adding skill to his hands and becoming more creative as a rusher to create quick wins,” the NFL’s Lance Zierlein wrote. “Burch leaves too many plays on the field, but the upside will have teams anxious to light the fire and get more out of him.”

Burch’s strength and athleticism allow him to line up both inside and outside the offensive tackle. His size and strength mean he can play a run-stopping defensive end role, but he also has the speed and athleticism required to function as a blitzing edge rusher.

For those reasons, I consider Burch an extremely safe Day Two pick. He could go as early as the second round if teams fall in love with his physical traits, but I could see him falling to the late third if his lack of production scares teams away.

Thankfully for Burch, multiple teams seem to be interested. The Green Bay Packers hosted Burch for a Top-30 visit on April 15, and he also took an unofficial “local visit” with the Carolina Panthers on April 8. Both teams are in need of defensive end help but also have other roster issues to address. If either chose to wait on an end until rounds two or three, Burch would be a likely selection.

On March 15, Pro Football Network’s Jacob Infante projected the Panthers to draft Burch with the 74th overall pick.

“Jordan Burch is a freak athlete with the size and length needed to wow scouts before he even steps onto the field,” wrote Infante. “When the whistle blows, he’s quick off the line of scrimmage and has shown development in how he uses his hands to stack and shed blocks.”

The Panthers would be a nice fit and would keep Burch close to home, but almost every team in the league is looking for a line-of-scrimmage player who can defend both the run and the pass.

The Atlanta Falcons had the league’s second-least sacks (31) in 2024, and lost longtime defensive end Grady Jarrett to free agency this offseason. Burch’s size and strength make him an interesting candidate to fill Jarrett’s shoes for the Dirty Birds.

The New England Patriots were even worse in 2024, finishing with a league-worst 28 sacks. They’ve been linked to edge sensation Abdul Carter with the fourth overall pick, but could use that pick to address one of their many roster holes. Burch would be a good secondary option if the Pats can’t secure a top-level edge threat.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a variety of needs to address, including defensive tackle, running back and quarterback. However, superstar edge rusher TJ Watt’s future with the team is in question, and there’s little depth behind him. Adding Burch on Day 2 would give the Steelers a little more flexibility while they work out Watt’s contract.

I could go on. Burch is big, strong, fast and versatile. His college stats aren’t exceptional, but he’s got the physical tools needed to be a starting NFL defensive end. His development may take a year or two, but Burch could one day be every bit as effective as the ends taken in the first round of April 24-26’s 2025 NFL Draft.

Tomorrow, Parsons’ Profiles will look at a reliable Duck whose combine performance significantly elevated his stock in next week’s draft.

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Welcome back to Parsons’ Profiles, the NFL Draft countdown series where I examine the professional future of one Duck per day until the 2025 NFL Draft begins on April 24. Yesterday, I discussed quarterback Dillon Gabriel’s past and future. Today, I’ll do the same for receiver Tez Johnson.

Years ago, Johnson dreamed of one day playing football for the Ducks. Now, with that dream achieved, Johnson is weeks away from achieving another: Playing receiver in the National Football League.

Johnson’s underdog tale is a story of tragedy, family, football and an Oregon sweatshirt. It began in government-subsidized housing in Pinson, Alabama, which Johnson grew up in after losing his father to suicide as an infant.

His mother, Shamika Posey, felt she could not provide the same quality of life that Johnson’s high school football coach, Pat Nix, could provide for him. When Johnson was 15 years old, Posey made the difficult decision to let the Nix family unofficially adopt him.

“It wasn’t necessarily the plan for me to stay,” Johnson said to ESPN’s Marty Smith. “It was a plan for me to go over and stay two or three days and leave. I knew when I walked in, I didn’t want to leave.”

Living at the Nix household allowed Johnson to grow closer with Pinson Valley High School quarterback and future Duck Bo Nix. The two formed a brotherly bond and won Pinson Valley its second straight Class 6A state championship in 2018.

Nix graduated that same year and committed to Auburn University. Though Johnson was a year below Nix and remained in Pinson for his senior year, their brotherhood remained.

Johnson graduated Pinson Valley in 2019, but was ranked only the nation’s 275th-best receiver and the 79th-best player in Alabama. He committed to Troy University, where he’d play the next three years.

Johnson played in 11 games as a COVID freshman (no NCAA eligibility affected) in 2020, finishing with 18 catches for 211 yards. As a freshman in 2021, he led the Trojans with 67 catches, 735 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns, also tallying a fifth on the ground. As a result, Johnson was named third-team All-Sun Belt.

He led Troy again as a sophomore with 56 catches for 836 yards, with his four receiving touchdowns second to RaJae’ Johnson’s (no relation) seven. However, Johnson only received an honorable mention from the Sun Belt, and eventually entered the transfer portal in Dec. 2022.

By this time, Nix had left Auburn and transferred to Oregon, where in his first season he’d taken the Ducks to a 10-3 record and a Holiday Bowl victory. That offseason, Nix took a look at the Ducks’ depleted receiving corps, considered his brother in the transfer portal, and had an idea.

“We needed some receivers, because some guys had graduated, some guys had transferred,” Nix said to ESPN’s Smith. “And I was like, ‘I know a guy.’”

After head coach Dan Lanning and then-receivers coach Junior Adams researched Johnson, they agreed to make the transfer an offer.

Johnson, who once received a Ducks hoodie as a childhood gift, had already dreamed of playing for Oregon for most of his life. In fact, Johnson was wearing an Oregon sweatshirt the night he was “adopted” by the Nix family. 

Only five years removed from that fateful night, Johnson was back in the Nix household when he received a life-changing call from Adams, who officially offered him a spot on the roster. Johnson immediately agreed, hung up the phone, and said “I’m a Duck.”

When Johnson made the switch to Eugene before the 2023 season, most Ducks fans knew him simply as Nix’s brother. They would quickly find out that the move had resulted in more than just a feel-good reunion.

Johnson saw starting reps as a slot receiver in 2023, but didn’t truly break out until November, when he hauled in 12 catches for 180 yards and two touchdowns in a home victory over Cal. He continued to make an impact all the way through the 2024 Fiesta Bowl, where his 11 catches for 172 yards and a touchdown earned him the game’s MVP award. 

Johnson finished the season with 86 catches (a program record), 1,182 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, which earned him significant hype entering the 2024 season. Now competing in the Big Ten alongside transfer Dillon Gabriel, Johnson tallied 83 catches for 898 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior, leading the team in all categories and earning second-team All-Big Ten honors as a result.

After two productive years with the Ducks, Johnson was invited to both the Reese’s Senior Bowl and the 2025 NFL Combine, where NFL hopefuls display their skills in the hopes of improving their draft stock.

At the Senior Bowl, Johnson did just that, wowing scouts and players alike with his quickness and route-running ability. Florida State University cornerback Azareye’h Thomas named Johnson as the toughest wideout he dealt with during the first day of practices.

However, things didn’t go so smoothly at the NFL Combine. The problems began when Johnson weighed in at just 154 pounds, the lightest weight of any combine attendant this year by almost 10 pounds. Similar weight concerns nearly caused 40-yard dash king Xavier Worthy (5’11, 165 pounds) to slip out of the first round last year.

Johnson made matters worse when he ran only the 27th-fastest 40-yard dash time of the day, a mediocre 4.55 seconds. That’s not exactly slow, but scouts would prefer that time from a big-bodied vertical threat, not a skinny slot receiver. Johnson had also previously told reporters that “if you blink, you might not see me.”

Thankfully, Johnson performed well in other areas, finishing the three-cone drill in a combine-best 6.65 seconds and tallying the highest speed among receivers (21.77 mph) during drills. However, most post-combine attention focused on Johnson’s shortcomings, throwing doubt as to when Johnson might be drafted.

Johnson chose not to re-attempt the 40-yard dash at Oregon’s Pro Day on March 18.

“That’s my time, I’m going to own up to it,” Johnson said afterwards. “You can watch my tape and see no one can catch me. (The 40-yard dash doesn’t) define you as a football player. It just shows that you can run a fast time.”

We won’t know exactly what the future holds for Johnson, but we can make an educated guess. The Cleveland Browns, who hold ten draft picks — including seven picks between rounds four and six — hosted Johnson for a Top-30 visit back in March. 

Their arsenal of mid- to late-round selections makes them an ideal candidate to take Johnson. However, an even more obvious connection exists with the Denver Broncos, who are building around Nix as their franchise quarterback and are still in the market for a slot receiver.

“I’m pretty sure everybody in here knows what it would feel like if I got my name called by the Broncos,” a smiling Johnson said during combine interviews. “…But I’m willing to play for any team.

Johnson was a truly dynamic playmaker at Oregon, and I believe he has the skills needed to make the same impact as a starting slot receiver at the professional level. However, his slight frame comes with risks, and I’m not sure any team will be willing to take such a chance before the fourth round begins on April 26.

Ultimately, Johnson’s future will depend on whether teams prioritize his combine numbers or his game tape. I’d expect Johnson to be drafted in the fourth, fifth or sixth round, where he could one day be considered a major steal. 

In the right system, Johnson could provide immediate impact in the slot, where he was a reception machine at Oregon. Johnson also provides upside as a punt/kick returner, as he took a punt return 85 yards to the house in Oregon’s Week 2 win over Boise State University last fall.

Johnson’s professional future remains unknown, but you wouldn’t know it by talking to him. “You’re gonna win a Super Bowl with me, 100 percent,” said Johnson at the combine.

Tomorrow, Parsons’ Profiles will focus on a Duck whose athleticism and versatility make him an appealing professional prospect with trick-play potential.

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A sunny and picturesque Eugene welcomed track and field action back home with open arms for Friday’s Oregon Open, which marked Oregon’s first home meet of the spring term.

Texas A&M University, Kansas State University, Wichita State University and Oklahoma State University sent their men’s and women’s teams to compete, while Utah and Oregon State sent just their women’s teams. The Open allowed any remaining slots to be filled by capable competitors, most of whom were from other universities or community colleges.

Oregon’s field athletes won in two events, the men’s javelin and the women’s triple jump. 

Men’s javelin kicked off the field events shortly before 1:00 p.m. Nine participants, including Ducks Asher Krauel, Zach Young and Pat Vialva, took part in three preliminary and three final throws. Vialva’s second attempt flew 69.16 meters, the day’s best throw by almost three meters.

“That rep was a lot of hard work and a lot of new technique that we’ve been trying to install come to fruition,” Vialva said afterwards. “It’s only our third meet of the year, so it’s a lot more difficult to get (competition) reps in. It was nice to feel that rep come together.”

In the final round, Krauel recorded a season-best throw of 62.52 meters, which was good enough for third place. Young also recorded a season-best with his final attempt, a 59.77-meter toss which secured him fifth place.

In the women’s triple jump, senior Ryann Porter and freshman Cassandra Atkins represented the Ducks alongside redshirt Maleigha Canaday-Elliott.

Canaday-Elliott’s personal best of 12.67 meters was good enough for fourth, just ahead of Atkins, whose 12.52 was good enough for fifth place. However, nobody could touch Porter. Her first attempt resulted in a foul, but her second attempt was an eye-popping 13.24-meter leap which the senior never even attempted to improve upon.

“We were thinking about one to three jumps; getting a good one in there and then shutting it down,” Porter said afterwards. “There’s a couple competitors in that field, so I was a little bit (worried) but I figured it would be good. It was a great jump for me, a great start.”

Oregon athletes appeared in most other events, but didn’t pick up any more individual wins. No Ducks competed in the men’s high jump, the men’s shot put, the men’s discus, the women’s high jump or the women’s discus.

Women’s pole vault saw four Ducks among the fifteen athletes competing. Juniors Isabella Nilsen and Emily Fitzsimmons both achieved season bests of 4.18 meters, which put them into the top four alongside Texas A&M’s Heather Abadie and University of Central Missouri alum Madison Wulfekotter.

All four competitors achieved 4.18 meters, with Abadie the only one to reach 4.23 meters. Wulfekotter, who achieved 4.18 meters in her first attempt, finished second. Nilsen achieved the same mark on her second attempt, which earned her a third-place finish, while Fitzsimmons achieved it on her third attempt and finished fourth.

Junior Hannah Ganashamoorthy was Oregon’s only participant in the women’s long jump. Unfortunately, she fouled in four of her six attempts. Ganashamoorthy’s best completed jump of 5.37 meters was only good enough for sixth place. The top four finishers all achieved personal bests, with the University of Northern Colorado’s Kiana Van Haaren traveling a winning 6.24 meters.

The seven competitors in men’s long jump included Oregon redshirts Cheikh M’Baye and Owen Phillips, as well as UO Running Club members Frederick Ford and A’Lante Owens-Player. 

M’Baye set a personal best with his first jump, which traveled 7.20 meters and earned him a third-place finish behind Wichita State freshmen Travon Williams (7.22 meters) and Darius Graham (7.21 meters). Phillips finished fourth (6.81 meters), ahead of Ford in fifth (6.63 meters) and Owens-Player in seventh (6.50 meters).

Women’s javelin fielded 15 competitors, including two Ducks in junior Josephine Krohn and senior Kohana Nakato. Krohn’s personal best of 46.38 meters was good enough for seventh place while Nakato’s 47.03-meter throw earned her sixth place. Oregon State’s Isabelle Esler won with a personal best of 53.35 meters.

Freshman Joey Bonacci and senior Kyle Gibbs were two of 11 competitors in the men’s pole vault. Bonacci successfully achieved 4.76 meters on his second attempt but failed to secure a would-be personal best of 4.86 meters. 

Gibbs didn’t enter the competition until the bar had been raised to 5.16 meters. After succeeding at that height, Gibbs passed on attempting 5.26 meters, putting him into the top three with A&M juniors Jack Man III and Aleksandr Solovev.

Solovev, the Russian 2024 indoor national champion who won three of the six indoor meets he competed in last year, succeeded in his first attempt to jump 5.36 meters while Gibbs failed on all three attempts. Because Man III successfully tried 5.26 meters, he took second place without attempting to go any higher, giving Solovev the win and pushing Gibbs down to third.

Owens-Player also competed in the men’s triple jump, which was the last Friday field event to include UO participants. His sixth jump (14.27 meters) was his best, but was only good enough for fourth place out of five participants.

Though nearly all Oregon Open events concluded on Friday, the meet itself won’t technically end until Saturday. Men’s hammer throw is scheduled for 1:45 p.m., with women’s hammer throw to take place afterwards at 3:00 p.m. 

The Oregon Invitational’s field events will then begin at 4:00 p.m. Saturday with women’s discus. Track events will start with the women’s 1500-meter following the 4:55 p.m. national anthem. The meet’s final event, the men’s 4×400-meter relay, is scheduled to start at 7:45 p.m. 

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Welcome back to Parsons’ Profiles, the NFL Draft countdown series where I examine the professional future of one Duck per day until the 2025 NFL Draft begins on April 24. Yesterday, I discussed running back Jeffrey Bassa. Today, I’ll discuss how quarterback Dillon Gabriel’s historic college career might impact his professional prospects.

Following the NFL departure of quarterback Bo Nix, the Ducks had a roster spot and big shoes to fill in their first season in the Big Ten. Gabriel answered the call, bringing a long collegiate career out west from the University of Oklahoma to the University of Oregon for his final season. 

Thankfully for Gabriel, things clicked in Eugene almost immediately. Despite early scares against the University of Idaho and Boise State University, Gabriel rapidly found his groove. He finished the season with 326 completions on 447 attempts (72.9% completion rate) for 3,857 yards, all of which were career highs. He threw 30 touchdowns to only six interceptions and also scored seven rushing touchdowns.

Gabriel’s stats were good, but my favorite part about his time as a Duck was his propensity to complete important throws with the game on the line. The best example of that clutch factor came late in Oregon’s Week 12 win over Wisconsin.

The undefeated No. 1 Ducks were down 6-13 to begin the fourth quarter and faced 4th-and-9 at the Wisconsin 41-yard line. A Wisconsin stunt collapsed the pocket, forcing Gabriel to roll left and towards the line of scrimmage. 

While at nearly a dead run, Gabriel threw a laser beam directly into the hands of tight end Terrance Ferguson, who crouched between two outstretched Wisconsin defenders to convert the first down. Oregon would go on to win 16-13, complete an undefeated regular season and win the Big Ten Championship against Penn State.

As a result, Gabriel was showered with honors following his final season. He was named a first-team All-American, the Big Ten’s MVP, Offensive Player of the Year and Quarterback of the Year.

Though his Ducks came up short in the College Football Playoff, Gabriel’s fantastic 2024 campaign was a fitting end to a fantastic career which spanned six seasons and three conferences. Despite all the change, Gabriel succeeded everywhere he went.

Gabriel was born and raised in Mililani on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. He attended Mililani High School, where as a 5’11, 186-pound senior he was named Hawaii’s Gatorade High School Football Player of the Year.

Though Gabriel totalled 9,948 passing yards and 105 touchdowns at Mililani, 247Sports Composite ranked him a three-star prospect, only the 754th-best player in the 2019 class. In June 2018, he committed to play for West Point’s Army Black Knights.

Then, in November, he took an official visit to the University of Central Florida (UCF), where his Mililani predecessor McKenzie Milton had taken the reins. A day after his visit, Gabriel decommited from Army and reopened his recruitment. Less than a month later, Milton suffered a devastating knee injury which would end his playing career.

Gabriel ultimately earned eight college offers, and took visits with two blue-blood programs in USC and the University of Georgia in Dec. 2018. However, the thought of an open competition at UCF was enticing.

“At the time, I just wanted to play,” Dillon Gabriel said on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast regarding his decision to choose UCF. “I’ve always put that at the forefront of what I want to do. I want to go play the game. That’s what I love to do.” 

On Dec. 19, 2018, four days after visiting Georgia, Gabriel committed to UCF. He began as the Golden Knights’ second-string quarterback behind redshirt senior and Notre Dame transfer Brandon Wimbush.

Wimbush performed adequately (12/23, 168 yards, two touchdowns, 142.2 passer rating) in the team’s blowout opener against Florida A&M University, but felt lingering soreness in his shoulder, allowing Gabriel to see action. The true freshman arguably outperformed Wimbush, going 9/13 for 176 yards, three touchdowns and a vastly superior passer rating. of 227.4.

When the same soreness sidelined Wimbush for Week 2, Gabriel took over and didn’t look back. He led UCF to a 10-3 record, a No. 24 national ranking and a 48-25 win over Marshall University in the Gasparilla Bowl. 

The Golden Knights’ 2019 offense finished second in the nation in total yards per game with 540.5 and eighth in passing with 316.7. Gabriel finished 236/398 (59.3% completion rate) with 3,653 passing yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

With Milton acting as his mentor, Gabriel started for UCF again in 2020. Although the team played only 10 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gabriel earned second-team All-AAC honors after he posted proportionally better numbers: 248 completions on 418 attempts (60%) for 3,570 yards, 32 touchdowns and four interceptions. The Golden Knights finished 6-4.

Gabriel’s college career hit its first real speedbump in Sep. 2021. The junior broke his left clavicle while attempting a futile series of laterals on the last play of UCF’s Week 3 loss to the University of Louisville. 

The injury ended Gabriel’s season but did allow him a medical redshirt. Because the shortened 2020 season didn’t impact athletic eligibility, the medical redshirt ultimately extended Gabriel’s eligibility to 2024.

With as many as three years of football ahead of him, Gabriel decided to transfer from UCF in Nov. 2021. He initially committed to UCLA in December, but a variety of factors caused him to transfer once again in January. 

“When I was transferring, I visited Ole Miss where my prior (offensive coordinator) Coach Lebby was at,” Gabriel said to On3. Lebby was both offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at UCF in 2019. “After that visit, I felt like I was going to go to Ole Miss, but Coach Lebby ended up going to Oklahoma.”

Gabriel’s decision may also have been aided by the roster hole Oklahoma had at quarterback. Former Sooners passer and eventual 2024 No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams transferred to USC on the morning of Jan. 3, 2022. That same afternoon, Gabriel transferred to Oklahoma. 

Gabriel would spend the next two seasons as a Sooner. His 2022 numbers (230/367, 3,168 yards, 25 touchdowns and six interceptions) were fairly similar to his UCF days, but Gabriel also added career highs in rushing yards (336) and rushing touchdowns (six). Despite Oklahoma’s 6-6 record, Gabriel performed well enough to earn second-team All-Big 12 honors.

Gabriel elevated his game in 2023. His statline (266/384, 3,660 yards, 30 touchdowns, 6 interceptions) resulted in a career-high passer rating of 172.0. Gabriel also bettered his rushing totals, finishing with 373 yards and 12 touchdowns. As a result, Gabriel earned first-team All-Big-12 honors.

In Dec. 2023, with one year of eligibility remaining, Gabriel again decided to transfer. Though Lebby left for a head coaching gig with Mississippi State University, Gabriel decided to transfer to Oregon. 

Eugene being closer to Mililani was a major factor, but Gabriel was also drawn in by the program’s recent success and its many returning players. He referred to the choice as “a no-brainer” following the switch.

Gabriel finished his collegiate career as the all-time FBS leader in touchdowns (189) and games started (63). Gabriel also tied Case Keenum for the all-time passing touchdowns mark (155) and fell less than 500 yards short of Keenum’s 19,217 career passing yards.

So why isn’t Gabriel being looked at as one of the top passers in this class?

For starters, he’s 24 years old and will turn 25 before next season’s NFL Playoffs begin in Jan. 2026. Teams want their quarterbacks of the future to be as young as possible in order to maximize their time together, and Gabriel is already older than five NFL starters, including Williams.

But more importantly, Gabriel doesn’t have the height or elite arm strength required to be a true pocket passer. While he’s reasonably mobile and can score on the ground, I wouldn’t call him a game-breaking athlete, either.

Therefore, Gabriel likely wouldn’t succeed in every professional offense. He’d thrive most in an offense like Oregon’s, a spread system which relied on making rapid reads and getting the ball out to open space as quickly as possible.

Several teams, including the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos, run similar offenses at the highest level. The Broncos specifically targeted Nix in last year’s draft for his ability to run such an offense. Unfortunately for Gabriel, those teams seem to have already found their franchise quarterbacks.

Gabriel has already moved from backup to starter at UCF, and successfully adapted to two new programs during his transfers to Oklahoma and Oregon. He won’t be drafted as a starter, or even labelled a future starter, but Gabriel’s proven an ability to capitalize on opportunity.

Gabriel’s got his fair share of believers, too. Milton recently called Gabriel the “Best QB in the draft” on X, and CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards included him on a list of this year’s most underrated prospects.

I expect Gabriel to be a Day 3 pick selected between the fifth and seventh rounds, and I expect his consistency and experience to make him a solid backup option for years to come. He won’t be the guy to elevate a team to new heights, but coaches should feel comfortable asking Gabriel to step up when he’s needed.

Tomorrow, Parsons’ Profiles will focus on a transfer Duck who’s been subject to significant media attention since playing his final game at Oregon.

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Welcome back to Parsons’ Profiles, the NFL Draft countdown series where I examine the professional future of one Duck per day until the 2025 NFL Draft begins on April 24. Yesterday, I discussed running back Jordan James. Today, we’ll ponder the future of linebacker Jeffrey Bassa.

In his youth, Bassa played receiver and defensive back at Kearns High School in Salt Lake City, Utah. Standing 6’1 and just over 200 pounds, Bassa was recruited as an ideally-sized safety. 247Sports Composite ranked him the nation’s 22nd-best safety and Utah’s fourth-best overall player.

In Oct. 2020, Bassa committed to playing safety at Oregon. However, after injuries depleted the Ducks’ defense during Week 2 of the 2021 season, Bassa jumped into his first snaps against an FBS opponent — at Ohio State and at linebacker. 

“It was a great experience to be on the field early in a critical game like that,” Bassa said afterwards. “That’s the week that I really changed from nickel to linebacker.”

Thankfully, the change stuck. Bassa started seven games at linebacker as a true freshman. He started nine more as a sophomore and finished with the team’s second-most total tackles (62). However, he still weighed just 212 pounds, and decided to make a change.

“I wasn’t satisfied at all. It didn’t feel right,” Bassa said regarding his slight size. “(Head coach Dan) Lanning, (defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi) and some of the assistant coaches talked a lot about gaining weight in the offseason. So, I bulked up. That’s something I attacked heavily.”

Clearly, the change worked. Bassa bulked up to around 230 pounds before the 2023 season, and his play greatly improved as a result. His Pro Football Focus (PFF) overall defense grade improved from 45.2 to 76.1, and his tackling grade skyrocketed from 47.3 to 83.9. Even his coverage grade improved from 51.6 to 76.7.

Bassa’s impacts weren’t just felt on the stat sheet. In Week 2, Oregon held a narrow 31-30 lead over upstarts Texas Tech, which had driven to midfield with less than a minute remaining. Former Oregon passer Tyler Shough was hit while throwing and sent an errant ball almost directly at Bassa, who promptly picked it out of the air and scampered into the endzone for a game-sealing pick six.

Bassa would go on to earn All-Pac-12 second-team honors as a junior. He again finished second on the team in tackles, this time with 72 in total. 

Unfortunately for Bassa, his senior year stats generally declined from 2023. However, Bassa was limited for many weeks by a nagging ankle injury, and also dealt with competition from an Oregon defense which regularly rotated its middle linebackers.

For that reason, Bassa entered the 2024-2025 offseason hungry to prove himself. Thankfully, he got the perfect opportunity to do so when he was invited to the Reese’s Senior Bowl, a week of practices and subsequent scrimmage held annually to showcase some of college football’s best matriculating talent.

“(I want to) show these teams that I’m a true four-down linebacker and that I should be high up on their (draft) boards,” Bassa told reporters following the first day of practices.

Fortunately for Bassa, the Senior Bowl likely did wonders for his draft stock. Bassa was voted the National team’s top linebacker by the American team’s offensive linemen, tight ends and running backs. He also called plays for the National team and showcased outstanding leadership abilities throughout.

Bassa’s excellent Senior Bowl showing even included a viral moment. On the last day of practices, Bassa was lined up in a one-on-one pass-rush drill against Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II.

Gordon was supposed to make a block on Bassa in the open field, with the two lined up at a distance of seven yards. When the two collided, Bassa spun through the contact, knocking Gordon to the turf and winning the rep.

Bassa met with the San Francisco 49ers, Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots during Oregon’s Pro Day on March 18. All three teams are in need of linebacker help and could conceivably draft Bassa.

The 49ers lost veteran weak-side linebacker Dre Greenlaw to the Denver Broncos this offseason, so they’ll be looking to give perennial All-Pro Fred Warner some much-needed assistance. Bassa played a lot of strong-side linebacker at Oregon, but many analysts think he grades out better on the weak side.

“A move to (weak-side) linebacker would allow Bassa to play more run-and-hit football, which could bolster his chances as a good ‘backer with the potential to develop into a starter,” wrote NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein. 

Bassa would likely also fit in well in New England or Las Vegas. On Thursday, Patriots.com’s Mike Dussault projected the Patriots to draft Bassa in the fourth round, citing Bassa’s athleticism and positional versatility as appealing traits for a team looking to rebuild. The Raiders are in the midst of a similar rebuild and seem to be interested in Bassa for the same reasons.

Both PFF’s Trevor Sikkema and Sports Illustrated’s Jared Feinberg have Bassa ranked as this year’s sixth-best linebacker prospect. Both project him as a fourth-round pick, as does NFL.com’s Zierlein.

I also think Bassa grades out as a fourth-rounder. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if five or six off-ball linebackers were taken in the second and third rounds, nor would I be surprised if Bassa was among those taken in the third.

Bassa’s not a classic middle linebacker, which is already a position generally avoided in the first round. He’s also got room to develop as a run-stopper, which could impact his stock. However, his athletic traits and leadership capabilities can’t be denied. Any team willing to develop Bassa could have a serious weapon on their hands.

Tomorrow, Parsons’ Profiles will discuss a Duck whose record-breaking 2024 campaign put him in elite Oregon company.

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Welcome back to Parsons’ Profiles, the NFL Draft countdown series where I examine the professional future of one Duck per day until the 2025 NFL Draft begins on April 24. Yesterday, I broke down defensive tackle Jamaree Caldwell. Today, we’ll consider the future for junior running back Jordan James.

Prior to his dominance in Eugene, James led Murfreesboro, Tennessee’s, Oakland High School to back-to-back undefeated seasons as a junior and senior, both of which resulted in 6A D-1 state titles. Consequently, James was ranked the 2021 class’ No. 13 running back and No. 164 overall player by 247Sports.

James received 18 collegiate offers and originally committed to the University of Georgia in March 2021. However, James chose not to sign a letter of intent during Dec. 2021’s Early Signing Period.

Instead, James took two official visits with the Ducks in January. Then, on National Signing Day in early February, James flipped his commitment from Georgia to Oregon. 

“I was just looking for a better fit, and Oregon just happened to be that better fit,” James said to Cecil Joyce of Murfreesboro Daily News Journal following the change. 

James entered Eugene as a depth piece behind Bucky Irving and Noah Whittington. However, Oregon would indeed prove to be a good fit.

As a true freshman in 2022, James took 46 carries for 186 yards and five rushing touchdowns. Whittington took a medical redshirt in 2023, clearing James’ way for additional reps behind Irving.

James capitalized, tallying 107 carries, 759 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns as a sophomore. His stellar Pro Football Focus (PFF) rushing grade of 94.8 led all running backs in 2023 and his overall offense grade of 92.0 ranked eighth-best.

That offseason, Irving left James and the Ducks for the NFL Draft. Despite recording 2950 total yards and 21 touchdowns across two years in Eugene, Irving was labeled a future backup by many analysts, mainly for his 5’9, 192-pound frame and a perceived lack of running-lane discipline.

Irving was eventually selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Despite entering as a depth piece behind established back Rachaad White, Irving soon found himself handling the majority of Tampa Bay’s carries. Irving’s 1,100-yard, eight-touchdown rookie rushing campaign seems to have earned him a starting role with the Buccaneers for years to come.

While Irving was climbing the ladder in Tampa Bay, James was enjoying a successful junior season as a Duck. In 2024, James took 233 carries for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns, ultimately earning second-team All-Big-Ten honors.

Though his PFF grades dipped slightly in 2024 (90.9 for rushing and 86.2 for overall offense), James’ impact was felt all season long. James’ thudding runs helped Oregon achieve a third down conversion rate of 48.78%, tied for the nation’s fifth-best mark.

Like Irving, James was a highly productive back during his time with the Ducks. However, some of the same analyst concerns which lowered Irving’s draft stock seem to be present with James.

In fact, the two backs are similar enough to warrant the same pro comparison from the NFL’s Lance Zierlein, who noted both possess similarities to Houston’s Dameon Pierce. Zierlein predicted Irving to be a fifth-round pick but favors James as a fourth-round pick.

However, not all analysts agree. PFF — which ranked Irving last year’s 79th-best player and fifth-best back — considers James to be this year’s 247th-best player and only its 26th-best back. 

James isn’t helped by this year’s running back class, which is one of the deepest in history. Heisman finalist Ashton Jeanty will certainly be a first-round pick, but we could see plenty of other talented backs taken early.

Thankfully, despite this year’s flooded RB market and the concerns held by some analysts, James has received his share of attention.

“Jordan James is the most underrated running back in this class,” analyst Todd McShay said on The McShay Show.

“My God, I love his run style,” McShay said. “He’s quick, he’s got vision, he makes sharp cuts, (and) he’s tough to bring down.”

McShay isn’t the only one paying attention. James is scheduled for a Top-30 visit with the Tennessee Titans on Wednesday, and the Indianapolis Colts have also expressed their interest. Both teams would be good fits for James, who could realistically follow Irving’s path to increased reps on either squad.

Tony Pollard, Tennessee’s leading rusher, is entering the last guaranteed year of his contract, and rotational piece Tyjae Spears is more of a pass-catcher than a power threat. James’ propensity to explode through tacklers could earn him additional goal-line or fourth down usage as a Titan.

Meanwhile, Indianapolis’ Jonathan Taylor is also entering his last guaranteed contract year, and the Colts lack a power option behind the former All-Pro. James could feasibly start as Indy’s RB2, with plenty of time for further promotion.

There are plenty of similarly open running back rooms across the NFL, so James will almost certainly earn a roster spot somewhere. However, this year’s historically deep running back class leaves uncertainty as to when James’ name will be called. 

For that reason, I’m projecting James as a Day 3 pick. I’d probably guess he goes in the fifth round. Drafting him much earlier could be seen as a reach given the other backs eligible for selection. However, if a team really likes what they see in James, I could see him going as soon as the fourth round. 

We’ll have to wait and see if James can mirror the professional production of Irving. My advice: Don’t count James out. Irving proved that for a capable back like James, professional success may be right around the corner.

Tomorrow’s edition of Parsons’ Profiles will focus on a four-year Duck who’s already raised his stock since playing his last game for Oregon.

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