Mel Kiper Jr. Names Oregon Star as One of His Favorite NFL Draft Prospects

The 2026 NFL Draft begins on Thursday, and there are many notable prospects from the Oregon Ducks program who will hear their names called within the first two days. One of the players who will hear his name called is Emmanuel Pregnon.

Pregnon is a guard prospect in the NFL Draft who was recently listed as the top offensive guard prospect by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. Kiper is one of the more popular NFL Draft analysts and someone who had nothing but great things to say about Pregnon.

Mel Kiper Gets Honest About Emmanuel Pregnon

Oregon Ducks nfl draft 2026 emmanuel pregnon mel kiper jr. football college football usc trojans. — Oregon offensive lineman Emmanuel Pregnon runs drills during Oregon Pro Day on March 17, 2026, at the Moshofsky Center in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Pregnon started at three different schools. He started 11 games at right guard for Wyoming in 2022. Then, he started 25 games at left guard for USC from 2023 to 2024. And finally, he was a 15-game starter at left guard for Oregon last season. Add it all up, and Pregnon has allowed just seven sacks over 3,087 career snaps," Kiper said.

He would then dive deeper into his reasoning of why Pregnon is his favorite guard in the NFL Draft.

"If you watch one game of tape for Pregnon, check out the matchup in 2025. Oregon ran for 261 yards at 7.3 yards per carry, and a lot of that was behind Pregnon's blocking. He sustains, gets to the second level and will physically overwhelm defenders on the inside at 6-foot-4 and 314 pounds. And Pregnon is solid in pass protection, with heavy hands and the ability to lock out defensive tackles. I wouldn't be shocked if he goes late on Day 1, but I'd safely say Pregnon is a second-round pick."

The Ducks guard has everything one could want out of a prospect, as he keeps pushing his draft stock up. He is one of the more gifted players in the draft when it comes to moving his feet, as well as pass blocking, which is very key when it comes to the NFL. He is also someone who can run block and even pull block when asked to, which makes him a complete guard prospect. He is very strong, and he showcased all of this in his 2025 season with the Oregon Ducks.

He is one of the many guards who can expect to hear their name called within the first two rounds, as the guard position has one of the best boom rates when it comes to the 2026 NFL Draft. There are many prospects in the class who very well could see the field as a starter following being drafted, and it is safe to say that Pregnon is one of the prospects who will likely become a starter fairly quickly. The reason he would most likely become a starter immediately is because of his age and being polished.

One thing Kiper mentions is that he wouldn't be shocked if Pregnon was selected in the first round, which is something that hasn't been talked about in a large majority of mock drafts. If there is one thing to know ahead of the draft is that things will look entirely different from some of the projections that have been released, which is what has likely led Kiper to make this comment. Kiper also mentions that he is positive Pregnon is at least a second-rounder in this class.

The great thing about Pregnon is how he can fit any team, because there is no drop off from his run blocking and pass blocking. He will be a sure pick, and teams will know what they are getting out of Pregnon. Even if he isn't the prospect with the highest ceiling, he is still one of the more guaranteed picks, as he is someone who will be a solid plug-and-play player on his worst days.

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