It’s the heart of mock draft season and with the success of the Oregon football team in 2023, the Ducks are sure to be prevalent in the 2024 NFL draft.
ESPN.com writer and draft analyst Matt Miller predicted how the first two rounds of the draft in April will go. In his mock draft, quarterback Bo Nix, wide receiver Troy Franklin and center Jackson Powers-Johnson were included.
First off the board was Nix to the Denver Broncos as the No. 12 pick.
With Russell Wilson expected to be released, the Broncos are on the hunt for a new franchise quarterback. Nix is coming off a solid showing at the Senior Bowl, where team scouts raved about his interviews and the work he did in practice. Nix, who started for three seasons at Auburn before transferring to Oregon in 2022, is experienced and pro-ready, and he has the accuracy (nation-leading 77.4 percent completion rate) and second-effort mobility to work well with coach Sean Payton’s scheme. This might feel early for Nix, but quarterbacks always rise, and scouts keep telling me that he is going to get drafted earlier than expected. — Miller
The Broncos have never found another John Elway. Perhaps another quarterback from the Pac-10/12 will do the trick.
Powers-Johnson is the next Duck to be selected, No. 28 pick to the Buffalo Bills.
Powers-Johnson, who was one of the stars of the Senior Bowl before leaving midway through the second practice with a hamstring injury, has a great combination of agility and size. The 334-pounder would immediately be one of the largest centers in the NFL, but he moves like someone 20 pounds lighter. He is a downhill blocker, but Buffalo would love his size in the middle of an offensive line that has renewed its commitment to running the ball. — Miller
As for Franklin, ESPN sees the Duck receiver going to Vegas and playing for the Raiders with the No. 44 pick of the draft in the second round. Miller has Las Vegas drafting Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy in the first round, and his new favorite target could be Franklin.
“Let’s give new quarterback McCarthy some friends in the passing game. Franklin is a vertical threat with awesome speed and a 6-foot-3 frame,” Miller said. “He grabbed 14 touchdowns in 2023 and picked up 1,383 yards on 81 catches. With 31 percent of his routes classifying as deep routes, Franklin is ready to stretch the field in the NFL.”
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