The 2025 NFL season is set to kick off this weekend and once again, there will be many alumni of the Ducks’ football program making their presence felt at the highest level. This past spring, a program record 10 Ducks were selected in the NFL Draft. It was the second consecutive year that the draft had a record-breaking number of Oregon players. Along with the 10 rookies will be a large handful of veterans from Oregon who look to climb the food chain even more.

Derrick Harmon – Defensive Lineman – Pittsburgh Steelers

Harmon was the first Duck to go off the board in this year’s draft when the Steelers took him with the No. 21 overall pick. He was the backbone of Oregon’s defensive front in its Big Ten Championship season last year. Arguably, Harmon’s most crucial moment was in the Week 7 matchup against No. 2 Ohio State, when he beat the top offensive line in the country and stripped the OSU running back to take away a possession. That game would end in a one-point victory for the Ducks. It is uncertain when Harmon will make his NFL debut after he suffered a knee sprain in the preseason, but when he gets on the field, the Steelers should look forward to what he may bring.

Josh Conerly Jr. – Offensive Lineman – Washington Commanders

Conerly was the second Oregon player drafted in the first round this year with the No. 29 overall pick. He started every game for the Ducks last season and earned all-Big Ten first team honors. One of his most notable games was the Big Ten Championship against Penn State, where he was tasked with blocking Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Abdul Carter and allowed zero pressures. After falling one game short of the Super Bowl last year, the Commanders need a guy like Conerly Jr. to protect second year quarterback Jayden Daniels as they look to make another run for the big stage.

Dillon Gabriel – Quarterback – Cleveland Browns

Last year was the second year in a row where an Oregon quarterback broke the record for most college starts and became a Heisman finalist. By the end of the season, Gabriel had 63 starts over six seasons with the Universities of Central Florida, Oklahoma and Oregon. He was selected by the Browns in the third round of this year’s draft to add to a very crowded quarterback room. At the end of the preseason, Gabriel was named the second string quarterback behind 17-year veteran Joe Flacco. He is one of two rookies who will develop behind Flacco as Cleveland looks to rebuild.

Bo Nix – Quarterback – Denver Broncos

Despite not winning Offensive Rookie of the Year, Nix couldn’t have asked for a much better rookie season than the one he had. When the Broncos selected him with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, they were on an eight year playoff drought and had started 13 different quarterbacks in that time. In his first year as a pro, Nix threw for 3,775 yards and 29 touchdowns and finally took Denver back to the playoffs. This offseason, the Broncos have added several veterans to their roster as they look to pose a threat in the loaded AFC West with Nix under center.

Bucky Irving – Running back – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

After being taken in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Irving wasted no time making a name for himself in Tampa Bay. He spent his first season as the second string running back behind veteran Rachaad White, but still rushed for 1,122 yards on 207 carries and scored eight touchdowns. Irving has been named the No. 1 running back for the Buccaneers going into his second season, where he is already considered by some to be the face of the offense.

Tez Johnson – Wide Receiver – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Oregon’s top wide receiver from last season joined Irving in Tampa Bay this spring when the Buccaneers selected him in the final round of the draft. The smallest active player in the NFL at 165 pounds, Johnson is fast and fearless. In his one appearance in the preseason, Johnson recorded 12 receptions for 82 yards, a touchdown, and two punt returns which combined for 37 yards. Oregon fans remember his ability to duck and spin out of tackles, which should serve him well as he looks to prove himself at the next level.

Justin Herbert – Quarterback – Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers saw tremendous growth in their first season under head coach Jim Harbaugh, winning six more games than the year before. Herbert threw for 3,870 yards and 23 touchdowns which led Los Angeles to the playoffs for the second time in his career. The Chargers have had very little success historically, but Harbaugh and Herbert seem to have them pointed in the right direction. Now entering his sixth season, Herbert is still hunting for his first playoff win.