The 2019-20 Oregon football team reached its summit when it took down the Wisconsin Badgers in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, 2020. For Thomas Graham Jr., Penei Sewell, Deommodore Lenoir, Brady Breeze and Jevon Holland, the Rose Bowl also marked the last game those five players would ever play together.

Graham Jr., Sewell, Breeze and Holland all decided to opt out of the 2020 season while Lenoir returned to Oregon for his final season. They each took a unique direction to prepare themselves for the next level and returned to share their journey at Oregon’s April pro day.

Lenoir initially decided to opt out, but weeks before Oregon’s season commenced, the senior cornerback announced he would play out his final year as a Duck. 

Three of the Ducks’ four opt-out players were staples in the secondary, which left Lenoir as not only a leader, but the longest tenured member. 

“I knew I was gonna be one of the older guys coming back,” Lenoir said. “It made me want to be more of a leader.”

As his leadership skills improved, so did his production. Adding another year of on-field action to his film was beneficial to the cornerback. He used his junior year at Oregon to showcase his talent against fellow NFL prospects at wide receiver.

Lenoir faced Brandon Aiyuk,Laviska Shenault Jr. and Michael Pittman Jr. on multiple occasions. Experience guarding players who have star potential at the next level helped improve Lenoir’s game. 

“I feel like I became a smarter football player,” Lenoir said. “I feel like my I.Q. gradually went higher as I got more opportunities.” 

However, for Graham Jr., Sewell, Breeze and Holland, forgoing their final year as a Duck proved beneficial in ways completely different from Lenoir.

Holland achieved great things as a Duck. He led the team in interceptions in 2018 and 2019 and in games that Holland had an interception, Oregon went 7-1. Holland left a lot on the table when he made the decision not to return to Eugene. He was projected as a Jim Thorpe Award finalist before opting out of the 2020 season.

“It was really tough to not have football in the fall,” Holland said. 

Opting out of an entire season deprived him of another year of film. However, Holland was confident in the product he showcased and the numbers he accumulated during his freshman and sophomore seasons. 

“I know the level of play I’ve shown the past few years,” Holland said. “So, when I decided to opt out it wasn’t really a gamble… I knew the outcome.” 

As of ESPN’s most recent mock draft, Holland is projected as an early third-round pick. A third-round selection translates to a guaranteed rookie contract and signing bonus, the culmination of the hard work that Holland put in during his year away from Oregon. 

Sewell is a projected top-five pick. During his year off, he had the privilege of training with NFL development coaches, as well as former and current players. Sewell worked closely with Sam Baker who appeared in 75 games as the left-tackle for the Atlanta Falcons from 2008 to 2014. 

“I became a sponge,” Sewell said. “I worked on my game day-in and day-out knowing that the next time I step between the lines, I’ll make the best of it.”

Graham Jr. also elected to opt out of the 2020 season, which was a tough decision for the cornerback from California. He blossomed in his final year as a Duck, highlighted by an interception in their opening game against Auburn. 

During his year off, Graham was able to recover after injuring his shoulder at the end of his junior season. Resting, along with preparing for the next level were the two most important parts of Graham’s decision to step away from Eugene. 

Graham and Lenoir trained with one another after the season ended, and Graham noticed that “Lenoir had more wear and tear than [him].” He made the trade off of watching his teammates succeed without him to avoid that wear and tear.  

“It was difficult because I missed playing with [my teammates],” Graham said. “But I got time to rest and rehab my shoulder.”

Pro day was special for Graham, not only because he was able to showcase his talents in front of NFL scouts, but it was his first time returning to Eugene since he opted out. He said he quickly realized that Eugene held a place in his heart forever. 

“Eugene is a safe haven for me and it felt good to be back,” Graham said. “After returning for pro day,, I did realize how much I missed my teammates.”

All of the players that participated in pro day took different paths to prepare themselves for the next level. Opting in allowed Lenoir to put together another year of film and stats for scouts to analyze, while opting out gave Graham Jr., Holland and Sewell the opportunity to rest and prepare individually for their NFL careers.