Historically, the Oregon Ducks have had great success sending players to the NFL, with dozens drafted in the past decade, continuing their careers at the highest level. That is especially true under Dan Lanning and his coaching staff, with the Ducks breaking the program record for the most draft picks last year, sending ten players to the NFL. The year before that, Oregon also set the program record, sending eight players to the NFL via the draft.
While that record likely won't be broken again this year, due to the vast number of NFL-eligible players returning to Eugene for the 2026 season, the Ducks are once again expected to be well represented at the draft over the next several days.
What many fans are curious about, though, is whether or not Oregon can keep an impressive streak alive on Thursday night.
For the past six years, the answer to that question has been "yes." The streak started in 2020 with Justin Herbert being selected by the Los Angeles Chargers at No. 6 overall, followed by Penei Sewell going to the Detroit Lions at No. 7 in 2021, Kayvon Thibodeaux going to the New York Giants at No. 7 in 2022, Christian Gonzalez going to the New England Patriots at No. 17 in 2023, and Bo Nix going to the Denver Broncos at No. 12 in 2024. The Ducks doubled up in 2025, with Derrick Harmon being selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with pick No. 21, and then Josh Conerly going to the Washington Commanders at No. 29.
In total, Oregon has had 25 first-round draft picks in program history, dating back to quarterback George Shaw in 1955. On Thursday night, they would like to push that number to 26, and potentially 27 if things break the right way.
Based on a majority of mock drafts that have come out this spring, Oregon fans should enter Thursday night with some real confidence that at least one Duck will hear his name called. There's a very solid chance that two players will be drafted in the first round as well.
The two players most likely are tight end Kenyon Sadiq and safety Dillon Thieneman. Both players have received first-round grades, with many expecting Sadiq to be the first name called of the two. While it is widely believed that Sadiq will be the first TE off the board, there is some speculation as to when that might be. It could be the Miami Dolphins at No. 11, or the Baltimore Ravens at No. 14. There's also a chance that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 15) or Minnesota Vikings (No. 18) take Sadiq if he is still on the board when they get on the clock.
As for Thieneman, one team that many people have circled is the Vikings at No. 18. He fits a major need for them on defense, and is the type of player who could excel in their scheme. It's also worth watching teams like the Dallas Cowboys (No. 20) and the Philadelphia Eagles (No. 23).
Live coverage of the NFL draft can be found on ABC, ESPN, and the NFL Network. The first round of the draft starts on Thursday night at 5 p.m. PT.
Streaming coverage is also available on ESPN+, NFL+, YouTube TV, Hulu+ Live TV, Fubo TV, and Sling TV.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon Ducks look to extend first-round pick streak in 2026 NFL Draft