NFL Draft Projection for Oregon Ducks After First Wave Of Free Agency

The NFL Draft is approaching, and the Oregon Ducks have a ton of talent ready to begin to play on Sundays. Among those talented prospects, two names have been listed as likely first-round selections.

CBSSports released a new mock draft, after the first wave of NFL Free agency signings, with both Ducks being selected within the first round. Here is how the mock draft looks.

Oregon Ducks nfl draft nfl pittsburgh steelers jalen ramsey jamel dean carolina panthers Kenyon Sadiq Dillon Thieneman. — Oregon head coach Dan Lanning takes the field as the Oregon Ducks face the Indiana Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Kenyon Sadiq - Carolina Panthers

Kenyon Sadiq is one of the many names from the Oregon program that make a ton of sense when it comes to being a first-round selection. He is a guy who brings a lot of versatility to the table, but the thing that he is mostly known for is his vertical ability. Sadiq would be joining a league that is known for their tight ends being short-to-medium route runners who will pick up a first down in critical moments.

That isn't the case when it comes to the Oregon Ducks tight end, as he is one of the players who can beat someone down past the third level of the field (drop back safeties). This is what makes him a unique talent, as he would be one of the very few players at the position who can do this. Sadiq has a ton of talent and will be one of the freak athletes from this draft class. He has mentioned he is fine being on the bench, but this is a place he would likely start.

The Panthers have Tommy Tremble as their top tight end right now, which isn't great considering he has been below average, and should be a priority backup when it comes to stats and production standpoint. The Panthers have a solid quarterback in Bryce Young, who is young and developing. They also have a ton of weapons at the wide receiver position that many would consider underrated. Adding a guy like Sadiq could be something that only makes them better and allows them to compete in the playoffs.

Dillon Thieneman - Pittsburgh Steelers

Dillon Thieneman is one of the better players for the Oregon Ducks who will be departing the program on the defensive side of the ball. Thieneman played safety for the Ducks, as he finished the season with great statistics. He finished the season with a ton of pass deflections, bringing his total to five for the season. He also finished the season with two interceptions and 92 total tackles.

Thieneman has a ton of traits that will make him a top safety selected. One of the best things he has going for him is his lengthy arms and his ability to move more towards the box when it comes to certain defensive setups. What this means is he can be a walk-up safety, or he can also find his stride with being inside the box (as a linebacker). He can also be someone who plays in the slot, or what many teams call the "star" position, which is a walk-down safety who plays on the inside of an outside cornerback and the outside of a defensive line/linebacker setup.

The Steelers have a ton of talent in their defensive back room, and recently added one of the better players through the free agent pool. That player is Jamel Dean, who is one of the better players as a cornerback. They still have Jalen Ramsey, Joey Porter Jr, and others, but they are losing a ton of their safety depth. Adding Thieneman would secure another key piece to their defensive back room, but he would likely be competing for a starting