How every former Oregon Duck since 2020 ranks among all 1st-rounders

There has been an abundance of NFL-caliber talent come through Eugene since 2020, with a high mark of 41 former Oregon Ducks hearing their names called in the NFL draft — and it's not just mid-to-late-round picks either.

From 2020-2025, seven Ducks were selected in the first round, showcasing the elite talent that Dan Lanning and his staff have not only brought to Eugene, but developed into players worthy of stardom in the NFL. More often than not, those former Oregon standouts have been productive in the league, living up the billing of being selected on the first night of the draft.

On Thursday, CBS Sports released a ranking of all 191 first-round picks since 2020, excluding the 2026 class (which also includes two former Ducks), as they haven't been able to take the field quite yet. Each first-rounder was divided into one of three categories: Best first-round decisions, solid picks with mixed returns and incomplete grades, and the most disappointing selections.

Let's check out where each of the seven first-round picks that came out of Oregon landed in the ranking.

Top third: Best first-round decisions

You can probably predict who ended up here. In this top-tier category, four well-known pro Ducks appear: Justin Herbert (No. 6 overall), Penei Sewell (No. 14), Christian Gonzalez (No. 30) and Bo Nix (No. 32). The latter three have had strong team success during their time in the league, each helping lead their teams to the conference championship. Gonzalez went a step further, recording a crucial interception against the Nix-less Denver Broncos in the 2025 AFC Championship game that helped send the New England Patriots to the Super Bowl. While Herbert hasn't sniffed a conference championship yet, he's widely known as a top-10 quarterback in the league based off of pure talent, with team success predicted to come in the near future. All of whom were excellent selections by their respective teams.

Middle third: Solid picks, mixed returns and incomplete grades

Both of Oregon's first-round picks in 2025 find themselves here, with Josh Conerly Jr. (No. 68) ranking higher than Derrick Harmon (No. 94). Early in his rookie season, Conerly had difficulties in protection — though it came against a murderers row of pass rusher in Micah Parson, Maxx Crosby and Brian Burns in the first three weeks. He settled down as the season progressed, and now looks to be the future at the offensive tackle position for the Washington Commanders. Harmon, meanwhile, is the definition of an incomplete grade, as he played in just 12 games for the Pittsburgh Steelers. When he was on the field, he was a menace, but he'll need to prove that over a long stretch of time before being considered a true first-round success.

Bottom third: Most disappointing first-round decisions

The lone Duck in this category, Kayvon Thibodeaux was ranked as the 131st first-round pick out of 191 since 2020. Drafted fifth overall in 2022, Thibodeaux has had stretches where he's lived up to the hype, namely his career-high 11.5 sack season in 2023. But injuries and overall ineffectiveness have held him back, leading the New York Giants to trade for Burns and draft Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter third overall in last year's draft. Now presumably on the trade block as the Giants' third edge rusher, Thibodeaux may need a fresh start in order to revive his career.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: How every former Oregon Duck since 2020 ranks among all 1st-rounders