Three Things to Know About Jadon Canady

Three Oregon Ducks heard their names called between the first and second days of the 2026 NFL Draft. Tight end Kenyon Sadiq and safety Dillon Thieneman became just the fifth Oregon duo to be selected in the first round of the same draft, while offensive linemen Emmanuel Pregnon became a third-round selection.

The final day of this year’s draft could feature multiple Ducks joining Sadiq, Thieneman and Pregnon at the next level. One of the players in line to be a Day 3 pick is cornerback Jadon Canady.

Canady spent his final year of college in Eugene. Here are three things to know about him as he looks to take his talents to the NFL.

1. Established Himself as a Top Cornerback With Oregon Ducks

oregon ducks cornerback jadon canady nfl draft dan lanning ole miss transfer portal kenyon sadiq dillon thieneman pregnon — Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon defensive back Jadon Canady (DB03) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

Canady spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career with the Tulane Green Wave before transferring to play for the Ole Miss Rebels for two years. His final season was spent with the Ducks.

The transfer established himself as an elite cornerback during his lone season at Oregon. Canady finished the 2025 season with 39 tackles, a forced fumble, six pass deflections and two interceptions. He ranked in the top-10 in Pro Football Focus ranking among cornerbacks last season.

Canady continued to do what made him a standout at Tulane and Ole Miss and kicked his level of play up a notch with a team that made it to the semifinals of the College Football Playoffs. He oftentimes matched up with slot receivers, such as former USC Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon, and shut down some of the nation’s top receiving threats.

2. Position Versatility

Part of what made Canady stand out at Oregon was his position versatility. Canady mainly played at nickel but proved that he can make an impact all over the field. He’s moved around within the secondary and is capable of also playing at free safety.

Canady is more likely to play nickelback at the next level, given that’s what he’s most experienced in and due to his smaller size, listed at 5-11. It still certainly doesn’t hurt his case to make an opening day roster that he’s capable of moving across the secondary.

3. Experience

Canady has more experience than some of the other cornerbacks in this year’s NFL Draft. He spent five years in college, although he redshirted the 2023 season. Canady turns 23 years old at the beginning of May.

The cornerback played for three different head coaches during his collegiate career, so he has experience learning different systems and schemes on the fly. Canady’s also played against high-level competition in three different Division I conferences.

Canady quickly became an important voice in the Ducks’ locker room in 2025, with the cornerback group having a heavy presence of underclassmen. He now transitions into being a rookie at a higher level. Having the amount of experience he did in college could help him get acclimated to the professional level more quickly.

There’s a possibility that Canady makes a quick rise up the depth chart if he lands the right fit, and that he could be seen as a Day 3 draft steal.

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