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Oregon Ducks In NFL Draft: Can Coach Dan Lanning Be 'Three Places At Once?'

Oregon Ducks Football, NFL Draft: Can Coach Dan Lanning Be 'Three Places At Once?' Bo Nix, Jackson Powers-Johnson and Troy Franklin are early-round draft prospects.

Bri Amaranthus

Oregon s Bo Nix and coach Dan Lanning embrace before the game against Oregon State at Autzen
Oregon s Bo Nix and coach Dan Lanning embrace before the game against Oregon State at Autzen / Chris Pietsch/The Register Guard / USA

The Oregon Ducks are about to make a splash in the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit, Michigan. Former Oregon football quarterback Bo Nix, center Jackson Powers-Johnson and wide receiver Troy Franklin are three Ducks projected to be drafted early, possibly in the first round. 

Oregon coach Dan Lanning oozes excitement for his former stars. In the middle of football spring practices, with the Oregon football spring game on Saturday, April 27th, Lanning hopes to support the draft hopefuls as best he can. 

“You obviously can't be in three places at one time probably starts with who asked you,” Lanning said after practice on Tuesday. “… We still have practice on Thursday and have a walkthrough on Friday. So we'll be creative and see what we can accomplish."

Oregon s Bo Nix and coach Dan Lanning embrace before the game against Oregon State at Autzen
Oregon s Bo Nix and coach Dan Lanning embrace before the game against Oregon State at Autzen / Chris Pietsch/The Register Guard / USA

The NFL Draft spotlight has shined on Nix and Power-Johnson. Nix has pro comparisons to New Orleans Saints’ Drew Brees and Dallas Cowboys’ Tony Romo. Nix is the only prospect who has met with all 32 NFL teams ahead of the NFL Draft, according to WalterFootball's prospect tracker. Talk about racking up the airline miles!

Powers-Johnson has been linked to the Dallas Cowboys, who have the No. 24-overall selection, and have a major need at center. 

"It'd be amazing to be drafted by the (Dallas) Cowboys," said Powers-Johnson in an exclusive interview. "The rich history of the team, the colors, the uniforms ... Everything about it is special. It would mean a lot to me to have an opportunity to play there."

More Ducks hoping to becoming ProDucks include: defensive end Brandon Dorlus, cornerback Khyree Jackson, running back Bucky Irving, safety Evan Williams, outside linebacker Mase Funa, cornerback Jamal Hill and safety Steve Stephens IV. 

"We love seeing guys reach their goals and aspirations,” Lanning said of Oregon’s prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. “… I think you'll continue to see more and more players drafted here at Oregon. As we continue to develop the roster and develop our players. Credit to them. They earned that opportunity to have that day that they can celebrate and we're really excited for those guys."

The 2024 NFL Draft is in Detroit, Michigan. The first round will begin at 5 p.m. PT on Thursday, April 25. Coverage of the second and third rounds will start at 4 p.m. PT on Friday, April 26 while the fourth through seventh rounds will begin at 9 a.m. PT on Saturday, April 27.

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Bri Amaranthus
BRI AMARANTHUS

Bri Amaranthus is an Emmy-winning sports reporter with over 12 years of experience in television, radio, podcasting, and digital sports journalism. She has been with Sports Illustrated for four years, providing breaking news, exclusive interviews, and analysis on the NFL, college sports, and the NBA. Prior to joining SI, Bri hosted NBC Sports Northwest's prime-time television show, where she also served as the Oregon beat reporter and created content covering both the NBA and college sports. Throughout her career, Bri has achieved significant milestones, including covering major events like the NBA Finals, NFL playoffs, College Football Playoff, NCAA Basketball Tournament, NFL Draft, and the NFL Combine. She earned a D1 scholarship to play softball at the University of San Diego and won two state softball titles in high school in Oregon. In addition to her Emmy win for NBC's All-Star Coach special, she has received multiple Emmy nominations, highlighting her dedication and talent in sports journalism.

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