The NFL draft starts on April 28, and like most years, a handful of Ducks are hoping to hear their names called. Since 2000, there has only been one year (2017) where there wasn’t an Oregon player selected in the seven rounds of the draft. The 2022 draft will inevitably continue the trend with a handful of Ducks ready to test the waters.

Here’s a preview of the Ducks players that could be drafted this April. 

Kayvon Thibodeaux, Defensive End

Since 2013, seven Ducks have been selected within the first 32 players and the trend looks to continue with Thibodeaux, the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.

During his time in Eugene, coach Mario Cristobal dominated the recruiting realm. Not only was Thibodeaux the best player in the Ducks’ 2019 recruiting class, but he was also the highest-rated recruit in Oregon history. He played in 13 games over his first season in the green and yellow, tallying nine sacks — his highest season total.

A handful of injuries to go along with a COVID-19-shortened 2020 campaign diminished his stats, but he still put up respectable numbers, totaling 19 sacks over three seasons. Thibodeaux is projected to crack the top five, where a reunion with former Duck Penei Sewell in Detroit is a likely outcome.

Mykael Wright, Cornerback

Behind Thibodeaux, Wright was the second-highest recruit in his class. He joins Thibodeaux, foregoing his senior season in hopes to be the third Oregon cornerback to be selected in the past two drafts.

Wright was a highly touted 4-star recruit out of Lancaster, California, who earned his playtime while competing with veterans Deommodore Lenoir and Thomas Graham Jr. In 2021, Wright was the leader in that position group. He only tallied two interceptions in his three-year career but added 17 pass breakups, while being a consistent force in the return game.

Wright accounted for 35 kickoff returns, two of which were run back for touchdowns. His speed was showcased at the combine where he ran a 4.53 40-yard dash. In a mock draft by CBS Sports, Wright is projected to land in the fourth round, which would surpass Lenoir and Graham, who were selected in the fifth and sixth round, respectively.
Verone McKinley III, Safety

McKinley III embodied the “ballhawk” role during his time at Oregon as he led the nation with six interceptions in 2021. 
He was every bit of his listed 5-foot-11 frame and made sure to never let teams underestimate his size. Coming in as a 3-star recruit in the 2018 class, he saw little to no action. His second season is where he finally got his opportunity and never looked back.

A four-interception 2019 campaign was surprisingly outdone by the six-interception 2021 season. He decided not to play out his final year of eligibility in favor of going pro.

Oregon secondary and the NFL have been in a consistent relationship over the past few seasons. Players like Jevon Holland, Ugo Amadi, Brady Breeze, Lenoir and Graham Jr. have made it to the league in recent years. Comparing the stats of those former Ducks to McKinley’s may give him the slight edge.

He is projected to go anywhere from rounds 4-6 and could easily hear his name called before Wright. Do-it-all safeties are always a necessity in the NFL, and McKinley will have a clear shot to replicate his collegiate success wherever he ends up.

CJ Verdell, Running Back

If one were to assess Verdell’s draft stock right after the Ohio State game, he would have been a clear choice to fall in the middle rounds. After dealing with a season-ending injury against Stanford, Verdell saw his draft stock fall. But even without playing for a majority of the season, his résumé is stacked with accomplishments.

His freshman season, arguably his best, helped him burst onto the scene. The 2017 season was the final year in Eugene for eventual NFL player Royce Freeman. With massive shoes to fill, Verdell showed no signs of weakness.

He put up a career-high 10 rushing touchdowns and over 1,000 yards. He followed that up with another 1,000+ yard year while eventually finishing with the sixth-most rushing yards in Oregon history.

From scoring the walk-off touchdown in his freshman campaign to upsetting the higher-ranked Washington Huskies at home to helping dismantle the powerhouse Ohio State Buckeyes last season, Verdell became legendary during his time at Oregon. He was half of the star running back duo who resided in Eugene over the past four years, sharing the ball with now USC running back Travis Dye. It is still unclear if his name will be called during draft weekend, but a spot on an NFL roster is more than expected for him despite his injury history.

Johnny Johnson III, Jaylon Redd, Devon Williams, Wide Receivers

Three Oregon wide receivers are testing the draft waters, and all of them bring a different skillset. Johnson and Redd were the mainstay veterans in the receiver room and were some of the longest-tenured players the Ducks had on the 2021 roster.
Johnson and Redd were with the team for five seasons starting in 2017. Both saw minimal playtime in their true-freshman seasons but worked their way up to starting roles and became key contributors in the passing game. The 2019 season was the most productive for them both as they each had seven receiving touchdowns and combined for over 1,300 receiving yards.
Johnson is the larger receiver, standing at 6-foot-1. He was a deep threat and proved his worth in a heartbreaking 2019 loss to Arizona State. In the game where the Ducks trailed by 17 with less than nine minutes to go, Johnson snatched two touchdowns in an attempt to avoid the upset, but it fell just short. His fifth and final season was less than impressive as he dealt with injuries, but he still aims to make an NFL roster.

Redd is more of a slot receiver by all definitions. He is listed at 5-foot-9 and had a role that shared similarities to that of former Ducks’ receiver De’Anthony Thomas’. Redd did not have the same success Johnson had in the receiving game but was used sporadically to run the ball. He had 21 total touchdowns in his five seasons, but like Johnson, he did not have a favorable 2021 campaign due to injuries. Redd is another Duck with hopes to make it as an undrafted free agent.

Williams is the most complete receiver of the trio. He has a good frame, standing 6-foot-5, 207 pounds. He came to Oregon after spending his first two years at USC. Unlike the other two wideouts, Williams’ best season was his last. He quickly became one of Anthony Brown’s favorite targets, tallying 550 yards and four touchdowns before forgoing his final year of eligibility. He too will look to make a roster anyway he can but will likely go undrafted.