We’re just a few days out from the 2024 NFL draft, and it’s shaping up to be a historic year for the Oregon Ducks. Oregon has several draft-eligible players, and for the first time since 2015, we may see multiple Ducks selected in the first round.
Last week, Touchdown Wire published the list of their top 50 prospects in this year’s draft, and the list featured several Ducks. The list also provided a pro-player comparison for each prospect on the list.
The highest-ranked Oregon player on the list is Jackson-Powers-Johnson at No. 24. His comparison? Alex Mack, a center who played 13 seasons in the NFL, made seven pro bowls, and was a second-team All-Pro three times. In 2017, Mack made it to the Super Bowl with the Atlanta Falcons where they were defeated by the New England Patriots.
Immediately after Powers-Johnson at No. 25, is wide receiver Troy Franklin, who Touchdown Wire compared to Washington Commanders wideout Terry McLaurin. McLaurin has played just five seasons in the pros, but he immediately became an impact player for Washington after he was drafted. In every year but his rookie year, McLaurin has eclipsed 1000 yards receiving (as a rookie he had 919), using his speed and ball skills to threaten opposing defense with long balls and with routes over the middle.
Two spots down from Franklin at No. 27 is quarterback Bo Nix, whose comp is Dak Prescott. Like Nix, Prescott wasn’t beloved as a prospect, but he’s made a solid career for himself in eight seasons in Dallas. One similarity Touchdown Wire highlighted between the two QBs is their ability to make on-the-fly adjustments pre-snap. We saw Nix demonstrate this ability time and time again this season, exploiting opposing defenses’ weak spots up and down the field.
These three prospects will all be interesting to watch at the draft this week since they all have the potential to be mid-first-round picks, but they could all also fall into the second round. Hopefully, wherever they end up, they are able to make a sizable impact on their new team.
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