The final four rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft took place on Saturday in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Four Ducks were drafted on Saturday, joining the six who had already heard their names called on Thursday and Friday for a program-best total of 10 selections. The previous record of eight was set last year in 2024.
“Pretty awesome, right?” head coach Dan Lanning said of the record after Oregon’s spring game.
No Ducks were drafted in the fourth round, the only such round this year. Running back Jordan James became Oregon’s first draftee of the day when the San Francisco 49ers took him with the ninth pick of the fifth round (No. 147 overall).
James (5’9.5, 205 pounds) earned second-team All-Big-Ten honors in 2024 after taking 233 carries for 1,267 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns. James was also an excellent rotational piece behind Bucky Irving in 2023, tallying a nation-best Pro Football Focus (PFF) rushing grade of 94.8.
James should see decent rotational use in San Francisco, especially if 2023 Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey continues to struggle with injuries. There’s little depth in the Niners’ backfield besides second-year back Isaac Guerendo, and head coach Kyle Shanahan loves to mix up the personnel he uses.
Shortly after the James selection, the Kansas City Chiefs traded up to select linebacker Jeffrey Bassa with Pick No. 156. Bassa was a solid contributor at linebacker for four years following an early positional switch from safety.
Bassa — who stands 6’1 and 232 pounds — has the athleticism needed to contribute as a weak-side middle linebacker, which should make him a great fit in Kansas City. The Chiefs are searching for depth behind strong-side middle linebacker Nick Bolton, and Bassa could prove a perfect solution.
In the sixth round, the Dallas Cowboys used 204th-overall pick to select offensive tackle Ajani Cornelius, who started the last two years as Oregon’s right tackle after transferring in from the University of Rhode Island. He has the ability to switch to guard as a professional, which aligns well with the Cowboys’ needs.
The Cowboys selected University of Alabama guard Tyler Booker in the first round, but they still have uncertainty at the right tackle position. Cornelius will likely compete for that role, but also presents as a solid depth option at guard.
Slot receiver Tez Johnson was the last Duck to be drafted, going in the seventh round to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the No. 235 overall pick. Johnson – who holds the Oregon single-season record for receptions (86) — left Oregon with 169 catches, 2,080 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns. However, his slight 5’10, 154-pound frame and middling 4.51-second 40-yard dash time caused his stock to slip.
As a Tampa Bay receiver, Johnson will get to learn from two greats in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. However, the Buccaneers are now deep at receiver following their selections of Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka on Thursday and Washington’s Jalen McMillan last year, so Johnson may not see a ton of the field right away. Thankfully, Johnson also has special-teams upside.
No other Ducks were taken in the 2025 NFL Draft, but many others have already signed three-year contracts with teams as undrafted free agents.
Receiver Traeshon Holden is joining Cornelius in Dallas, where the two are now rivals of undrafted safety Brandon Johnson and the Philadelphia Eagles. Cornerback Dontae Manning is headed to the Atlanta Falcons, tight end Patrick Herbert has joined the Jacksonville Jaguars and safety Tysheem Johnson has signed with the Chicago Bears.
“(I’m) really excited for them,” Lanning said of his NFL-bound former players. “And (I’m) really grateful for everything they did for Oregon.”
More undrafted former Ducks will likely sign contracts in the coming days. Names to watch include cornerback Jabbar Muhammad, safety Kobe Savage, linebacker Jestin Jacobs and offensive tackle Nishad Strother, among others.
