The 2024 NFL draft is rapidly approaching, and several Ducks are set to be selected over the course of the three-day draft event in late April. One of the Oregon Ducks’ top prospects in this year’s draft is Rimington Trophy winner, Jackson Powers-Johnson.
Centers aren’t typically selected anywhere near the first round, but Powers-Johnson is one of the best interior O-line prospects in years. After a strong start to his draft preparation season, the buzz around Powers-Johnson started to pick up, and he started getting mocked as a first-round pick.
Now, less than a month out from the draft, the roll is slowing on Powers-Johnson, according to a report from Matt Miller, a draft analyst at ESPN.
“In talking to scouts over the past two weeks, it sounds like teams are not as high on Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson as the media consensus. JPJ had a strong early performance at the Senior Bowl before leaving the second practice with a hamstring injury. It was that early impression that saw him rise up draft boards. He followed that up with a good showing in position drills at the combine but didn’t participate in most of the other drills — he did only the bench press and vertical/broad jumps — before shutting it down. The feedback I’ve received from teams is that while he might go in the first round, it’s unlikely that he would be selected in the top 25 picks based on where teams are ranking him.”
Powers-Johnson played three seasons at Oregon, where he was spectacular. In his final season, he received a PFF grade of 84.3, the highest of all Power Five interior offensive linemen. He is the only Rimington Trophy winner in Oregon football history.
Whether Powers-Johnson is taken in the first round or not, whichever team selects him will be getting a ringer. And, they will not be getting a center. He’s also a guard, a tackle and don’t forget that time he lined up at defensive end.