It’s not often that Lions GM Brad Holmes makes big trips to scout players in person. Holmes was known to attend just one college football game in 2021, the matchup between Oregon and UCLA that took place in Los Angeles while the Lions were also in LA to play the Rams the next day.
Holmes decided to take in the rematch in Eugene in 2022. The Lions GM was one of many NFL scouting presences at the game, which Oregon won 45-30 over the Bruins.
Both teams have some potential NFL draft talent. Most notably is Ducks LB Noah Sewell, the brother of Lions right tackle Penei Sewell. The younger Sewell has not had a great season for Oregon but did show well in this game, notching eight tackles and a QB pressure. Noah Sewell is generally projected as a second-round talent in current mock drafts.
Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez is widely projected as a first-round pick. Gonzalez is 6-2 and was timed at an astonishing 23 MPH with a 42′ vertical, giving him a prominent spot on Bruce Feldman’s annual “Freaks” list. The junior broke up two passes and recorded a TFL in this impressive outing.
UCLA RB Zach Charbonnet built upon a strong season for the Bruins, rushing for 151 yards and also catching four passes. He’s a dual-threat option out of the backfield with impressive size (6-1/220) and capable of quick acceleration and power through contact. The Michigan transfer is projected as a 3rd-4th round pick.
Ducks DT Brandon Dorlus also falls into that general projection range. Dorlus is a 6-3, 290-pound lineman who can play across the formation and wins with initial quickness and great balance. He was relatively quiet vs. UCLA (two tackles) but had a monster game against Stanford recently.