Oregon Ducks' highest NFL draft picks since 1970
While most colleges and universities field a football team as part of its general athletics program, there are some for which football is more than merely a sport—it's akin almost to a religion. Devotion to the team and its colors is as important to that school's culture as a religious icon is to a believer. These programs actively scout and recruit notable high school players, and are in turn rigorously applied to by matriculating seniors eager to make a name for themselves at the collegiate level.
Among the most notable college football empires are Notre Dame, the universities of Alabama, Michigan, Texas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma, Penn State, Ohio State—the list goes on and on.
But for every touchstone football school, there is an outlier that has produced some of the most successful and cherished players in the game. Think Jackson State, which gave us "Sweetness" himself, Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton. Or Mississippi Valley State, which yielded 3-time Super Bowl champion and #1 Player in NFL History, as voted by the NFL Network, '49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice.
Each year, the college draft serves as a source of renewal to professional football and a testament to the quality of college programs nationwide. With the 2022 NFL draft set to take place April 28-30 in Las Vegas, Stacker compiled a list of the highest NFL draft picks from the Oregon Ducks using data from Pro Football Reference. Ties were broken by the most recent year drafted.
#20. Anthony Newman (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #35 overall in 1988
- Drafted by: Los Angeles Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (0 Pro Bowls)
#19. Igor Olshansky (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #35 overall in 2004
- Drafted by: San Diego Chargers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (0 Pro Bowls)
#18. Patrick Chung (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 2, #34 overall in 2009
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 10 (0 Pro Bowls)
#17. Tom Drougas (T)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #22 overall in 1972
- Drafted by: Baltimore Ravens
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)
#16. Kyle Long (G)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #20 overall in 2013
- Drafted by: Chicago Bears
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (3 Pro Bowls)
#15. Mario Clark (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #18 overall in 1976
- Drafted by: Buffalo Bills
- Years as a starter in NFL: 8 (0 Pro Bowls)
#14. Arik Armstead (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #17 overall in 2015
- Drafted by: San Francisco 49ers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (0 Pro Bowls)
#13. Russ Francis (TE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #16 overall in 1975
- Drafted by: New England Patriots
- Years as a starter in NFL: 11 (3 Pro Bowls)
#12. Jonathan Stewart (RB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #13 overall in 2008
- Drafted by: Carolina Panthers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 5 (1 Pro Bowls)
#11. Chris Miller (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #13 overall in 1987
- Drafted by: Atlanta Falcons
- Years as a starter in NFL: 7 (1 Pro Bowls)
#10. Haloti Ngata (DT)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #12 overall in 2006
- Drafted by: Baltimore Ravens
- Years as a starter in NFL: 12 (5 Pro Bowls)
#9. Alex Molden (DB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #11 overall in 1996
- Drafted by: New Orleans Saints
- Years as a starter in NFL: 3 (0 Pro Bowls)
#8. DeForest Buckner (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #7 overall in 2016
- Drafted by: San Francisco 49ers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (2 Pro Bowls)
#7. Penei Sewell (OL)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #7 overall in 2021
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)
#6. Justin Herbert (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #6 overall in 2020
- Drafted by: Los Angeles Chargers
- Years as a starter in NFL: 2 (1 Pro Bowls)
#5. Ahmad Rashad (WR)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #4 overall in 1972
- Drafted by: St. Louis Rams
- Years as a starter in NFL: 10 (4 Pro Bowls)
#4. Dion Jordan (DE)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #3 overall in 2013
- Drafted by: Miami Dolphins
- Years as a starter in NFL: 0
#3. Akili Smith (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #3 overall in 1999
- Drafted by: Cincinnati Bengals
- Years as a starter in NFL: 1 (0 Pro Bowls)
#2. Joey Harrington (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #3 overall in 2002
- Drafted by: Detroit Lions
- Years as a starter in NFL: 6 (0 Pro Bowls)
#1. Marcus Mariota (QB)
- Draft pick: Round 1, #2 overall in 2015
- Drafted by: Tennessee Titans
- Years as a starter in NFL: 4 (0 Pro Bowls)
