Category: Pro Ducks

Just like most kids his age, Oregon’s Chris Duarte looked up to LeBron James and Kobe Bryant

Former Duck guard Chris Duarte grew up idolizing LeBron and Kobe, and now he could play with the former should his spot in the NBA Draft go as projected.

Depending on age, your basketball heroes may differ. For those of us in an “older” generation, Michael Jordan was the absolute God among men. In Oregon, it was Clyde Drexler, Terry Porter, and Jerome Kersey.

But to no one’s surprise, for kids that are Chris Duarte’s age, those heroes were Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Now for Duarte, there’s a decent chance he may wind up playing on the same team as LeBron and Kobe.

In a story on LeBronwire.com, it talked about how Duarte went on the HoopsHype podcast with Michael Scotto and discussed who he liked watching while he grew up in the Dominican Republic:

Growing up, we used to watch a lot of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Back in my day where we’re from, I’ve got a couple of friends, and we used to make teams of Bryant and James and go against each other.

Most mock drafts have Duarte being selected in the mid-first round or a little lower. The Los Angeles Lakers currently have the No. 22 pick in the NBA draft, so the former Duck guard landing in LA isn’t inconceivable, as ESPN predicted this past week.

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It would potentially be the perfect spot and team for Duarte to begin his career. There’s is no other player Duarte could learn from than the future Hall of Famer and to learn more about Kobe’s legacy than in the Lakers organization.

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Ranking 50 Oregon Ducks who could have made the most money off of name, image, and likeness

Today’s college athletes can now profit off of their name, image, and likeness. But what about the Oregon legends? These are the 50 Ducks who we think could have made the most money.

July 1st was a monumental day in the world of amateur athletics.

For the first time in the history of collegiate sports, it became legal for athletes to profit off of their name, image, and likeness.

They aren’t being paid to play, as some had hoped, but for the first time ever, players are now free to seek out sponsors and sign endorsement deals. We’ve already seen some athletes release new logos, while others have started podcasts or affiliated themselves with media networks, like Barstool Sports.

RELATED: Oregon’s NIL bill helped convince USC transfer Endyia Rogers to choose Ducks

This is a big deal when it comes to athletics, and will massively benefit those players who are still in college. However, former athletes who are either playing in the professional ranks now, or have gone pro in something other than sports, may feel a little chapped by the news. Why wasn’t this around when they were in school?

Why indeed?

We don’t have a good answer, but we at least wanted to conduct a thought experiment and see who the former Oregon Ducks were that would have stood to gain the most from being able to profit off of their NIL. So we ranked them.

It started out with ideas of who would be the most acceptable face on an advertisement, and it ended up being, for the most part, a ranking of the 50 most popular Ducks of all time. Either way, broken down into four tiers, these are the 50 Oregon athletes we believe could have made some serious cash had they come through the program in 2021:

Former Duck Thomas Graham Jr. is making an early impression with the Chicago Bears

The Bears took a late-round flier on Thomas Graham Jr., but he is making an early run at the starting slot CB position in Chicago.

The Chicago Bears took a late-round flier on former Oregon Ducks cornerback Thomas Graham Jr., grabbing him with the 228th pick in the 2021 NFL draft, but they seem to be happy with their selection so far.

After having an incredibly solid career in Eugene and standing as one of the best cornerbacks in the Pac-12 conference, Graham is making a strong impression in the Windy City throughout minicamp thus far. So much so that his position coach recently remarked that the rookie has a real chance to earn the starting job in the slot cornerback position starting in his rookie season.

Graham opted out of the 2020 season, which arguably hurt his draft stock a little bit, but the numbers he put up before that were pretty remarkable. In three years with the Ducks, he had a total of 8 interceptions and 32 pass break-ups.

Starting as a rookie would be no surprise for Graham, who was thrown into the mix early on at Oregon, as well, starting 12 of his first 13 games as a freshman.

As the summer rolls along and we get into training camp, keep an eye on what Graham can do with the Bears, and hope that they will trust him enough to throw him onto the field in Week 1.

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In Detroit, Penei Sewell and Tyrell Crosby will compete for starting spot amidst trade rumors

After becoming friends while playing at Oregon, Tyler Crosby and Penei Sewell will now be competing for a starting spot on the line in Detroit.

Entering a contract season, fourth-year offensive lineman Tyrell Crosby could have been salty when the Detroit Lions drafted what seems to be his replacement on the offensive line. However, when the former Oregon Duck learned that his college teammate Penei Sewell would be joining him in the Motor City, there was nothing but smiles.

“Seeing him when he got drafted, I was probably one of the happiest people on Earth, because that was my friend who got drafted and I couldn’t be more proud of him,” Crosby said, via SB Nation’s Pride of Detroit.

However, that happiness could lead to turmoil for Crosby, who has now been involved in some trade rumors as the Lions look to fill out their offensive front. With Taylor Decker at the left tackle spot, there is a strong belief that Sewell will switch over to right tackle, taking the position from Crosby.

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Instead of taking it personally, Crosby is choosing to control what he can, and let it all play out on the field.

“Really haven’t heard much from the front office or anything about it,” Crosby said. “So I’m just here excited and thankful to be here and just compete.”

Crosby’s contract with Detroit is up after this season, and his future remains unknown. Whether he gets a chance to further prove his worth on the field this season is yet to be seen, but he is going to do whatever is asked of him, and enjoy the company of his close friend, in the meantime.

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Justin Herbert has 8th most popular NFL jersey, outselling Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers

Justin Herbert has gained some popularity among fans after his stellar rookie season, owning the 8th highest-selling jersey in the NFL.

It isn’t just loyal Oregon Duck fans from Eugene who have become obsessed with Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert over the past few years. After his historic debut season in the NFL where he won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, Herbert is now among the most popular young players in the game.

That can be seen clearly when looking at the top-selling NFL jerseys this year, according to Fox Sports NFL. Herbert is listed at No. 8 on the list, ahead of established players like Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes.

Of course, if you look a bit deeper at the list, you’ll see that it is more of a popularity contest, rather than anything to do with real football skill. Look no further than the highest name on the list: Tim Tebow. The former QB has been out of the game for years after failing to make an impact, and he is now attempting to make the Jacksonville Jaguars as a tight end. Behind Tebow is rookie quarterback Justin Fields, the Chicago Bears newest star.

It may not be the defining moment of Herbert’s career to be listed inside the top 10 of jersey sales, but it does show that he has had an impact in the NFL and is well known among fans.

If he can put together another season like he did last year, we can expect his name to rise up that list going forward.

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Justin Herbert is growing as a leader and taking advantage of his first offseason in the NFL

Cemented as the starting QB in Los Angeles, coaches have remarked that Herbert has taken command of the team and growing as a leader.

If there was ever a question about the type of work ethic that former Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert would show in his first offseason in the NFL, just ask someone from Eugene what they thought.

After watching the semi-scrawny kid from Sheldon High School turn into an eventual Rose Bowl MVP and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, it was clear that the Eugene native worked harder than anyone else.

Now, in his first true offseason with the Los Angeles Chargers, Herbert is getting a chance to take command of the offense, and really settle in as a leader on the team. Through the first week of OTAs, that leadership is palpable.

“Justin’s a big part of the operation in terms of his command in and out of the huddle and I think that’s going to be a hallmark of how we play … I thought he was really impressive,” said Chargers coach Brandon Staley, via the team’s website. “There was one (play) in particular that I felt like really demonstrates that he’s got the capacity that you guys are all aware of from an identification standpoint of something we do defensively that we feel like is tough to pick up, and he picked it up practice No. 1. He’s off and running.”

Herbert also has the benefit now of returning to a more normal offseason, where, thanks to the prevalence of vaccines in our society, we can worry less about the coronavirus and more about football. Of course, Herbert is once again dealing with a new coaching staff, but he’s shown in the past that the change to a scheme is little to worry about for No. 10.

It’s always hard to make good on a career season, and when you set the bar as high as Herbert did in 2020, expectations are almost insurmountable. Regardless, we know that the former Duck will put his all into climbing this mountain ahead of him, and if his career trajectory is to continue, we will be talking about him for a long, long time to come.

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Changing coordinators isn’t anything new for Justin Herbert

Justin Herbert is looking to avoid the fate of Tim Couch, who had a tough time with the neverending carousel of offensive coordinators.

Justin Herbert has seen this movie before.

In his second season as a Los Angeles Charger and as a professional football player, the former Oregon quarterback is going to have to learn an entirely new system.

Usually, this means bad news for young signal-callers in the NFL. It’s difficult enough to come in from college and learn a playbook that’s probably three times as big. But then to have to learn yet another playbook so quickly in one’s career sometimes means the end of that career.

NFL.com columnist Jim Trotter used former Cleveland Browns head coach Bruce Arians and his new quarterback Tim Couch as an example of how is can all go wrong.

Arians had spent the previous three seasons as quarterbacks coach in Indianapolis, where he helped Peyton Manning develop into one of the game’s top young stars. There was no expectation he would make Couch the next Manning, but there was hope he would transform the former University of Kentucky star into an efficient performer who, at times, could lift those around him.

Problem was, the damage had already been done. There had been too many failures, too many absorbed hits on sacks and pressures and too many voices in Couch’s ears.

Arians was Couch’s third offensive coordinator in three seasons and the former Kentucky superstar didn’t last long after that.

Herbert’s career trajectory most likely will not end up like Couch’s because changing coordinators should be old hat for him. He went from Matt Lubick as a freshman to Marcus Arroyo and Mario Cristobal as a sophomore to just Arroyo as a junior and senior. That’s three coordinators in four seasons and it worked out.

So going from Shane Steichen to Joe Lombardi in Los Angeles shouldn’t be that big of a deal. What will be a bigger deal is that the Chargers find some protection for Herbert up front, which to their credit, it seems like finding offensive linemen is a priority with draft picks Rashawn Slater from Northwestern and Nebraska’s Brendan Jaimes.

Only if Tim Couch had been so lucky.

Former Duck Aaron Wise sits in 3rd place after Day 1 of the PGA Championship

The former Oregon champion got off to a hot start on Thursday with a three-under 69, and is in a good spot to chase his first major championship over the weekend.

It may have been a while since fans of the Oregon Ducks have thought about the name Aaron Wise, but he is still doing great things since leaving Eugene.

Just a few years removed from winning the individual national championship at the Eugene Country Club and helping the Ducks to their first-ever team national title in program history, Wise is now settling in at the professional level. With one career win under his belt at the AT&T Byron Nelson in 2018, there is a dream to get a major championship under his belt.

On Thursday, Wise got off to a great start and shot a three-under 69 in the opening round of the PGA Championship, being played at the Ocean Course on Kiawah Island in South Carolina. Wise is tied with five other players for second place, including major champions Brooks Koepka and Keegan Bradley.

Via ESPN.com

Everyone is currently chasing Correy Conners, who shot an impressive five-under 67, leading the field by two strokes. With the notoriously windy conditions at Kiawah, an even-par round was considered to be an accomplishment going into the round on Thursday.

Wise was part of the morning group on the first day, so he will get a chance to sleep in a bit on Friday and enjoy the afternoon wave with the rest of his group.

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WATCH: Dillon Brooks throws down massive dunk against Spurs in NBA play-in game

Dillon Brooks had no mercy for Dejounte Murray on Wednesday night, throwing down a massive dunk in his face on the fast break

You think Dillon Brooks is happy to be playing on the big stage in the NBA play-in game? Look no further than his massive tomahawk dunk in the first quarter against the San Antonio Spurs as proof.

On a fast break, Brooks took the ball down the lane and rose up with a defender in his way, cocking his arm back and throwing it down with authority to give the Memphis Grizzlies an 18-4 lead early on. He celebrated with all of the enthusiasm and confidence that any Oregon fan is used to.

The Spurs eventually came back from a big deficit to make it a close game at half, but the lasting highlight will undoubtedly be Brooks’ slam early on. The playoff certainly suit a player of his stature.

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Penei Sewell signs rookie deal worth $24 million guaranteed with Detroit Lions

The former Duck will now get over $24 million guaranteed as part of his rookie contract, securing Sewell’s massive pay-day.

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We’ve known for the better part of a month which NFL team former Oregon Ducks left tackle Penei Sewell would be playing with to start his professional career, but it was made official this week as the first-round pick finally signed his rookie contract and assured his major pay-day.

As the No. 7 overall pick, Sewell guaranteed himself a massive contract thanks to the rookie wage scale, and his four-year contract comes with over $24 million guaranteed.

While the Lions already have left tackle Taylor Decker signed for the next few years, there are some questions about where Sewell will play at the start of the season, but it’s hard to believe that he will even sniff the bench, especially with that number next to his name.

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