What If Oregon Keeps Them All?
Lou Pickney's Latest Insight
October 5, 2025
The University of Oregon has six draft-eligible players who appear to have a legit shot of potentially being selected in round one of the 2026 NFL Draft: quarterback Dante Moore, EDGE Matayo Uiagalelei, tight end Kenyon Sadiq, offensive tackle Isaiah World, defensive tackle A'Mauri Washington, and safety Dillon Thieneman.
World, a transfer from Nevada at the end of 2024 with great pass blocking skill, is a redshirt senior who can't return for 2026 unless he somehow finds a Diego Pavia unlimited eligibility glitch.
But the rest have NCAA eligibility for 2026. So does interior offensive lineman Iapani Laloulu.
And I think there's a decent chance that they all stay. I think Phil Knight is about to outbid the NFL.
Knight, 87, is exceptionally wealthy thanks to his business success with Nike. Estimated net worth of $34 billion. Billion with a B.
Knight wants to see Oregon football succeed and he's willing to spend big to make it happen. This is more than just tilting the table; it's a redefinition of what it means to build for long-term success in the modern college game.
Moore redshirted last year, and he was well-compensated for it. Sadiq performed well in a supporting role in 2024 and now looks like the top tight end in all of college football.
It would seem unfair if any one NFL team were able to get Moore and Sadiq and Uiagalelei and Washington and Thieneman. Five potential first-rounders, yet Oregon might be able to hold onto all of them for next year.
It's not that NFL teams lack the money, but the rookie salary cap creates an artificial ceiling on earnings. And, ultimately, this is actually what the NFL wants as far as players staying in school for four years.
There is hope in this for those who want more continuity in college football, as NIL beyond the initial early chaos has potential to be helpful for developing and keeping players longer-term in established programs.
Going back to the early days of Draft King, I've presumed that every draft-eligible player would go pro ahead of the deadline for early declaration.
Then I broke that rule for the first time ever for Arch Manning.
Now I'm not so sure that the rule makes sense anymore, though I'm not sure how else to approach it.
2027 NFL Draft Prospects
AFC East: Buffalo Bills | New England Patriots |
New York Jets | Miami Dolphins
AFC North:
Baltimore Ravens | Cincinnati Bengals | Cleveland Browns | Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC South:
Houston Texans | Indianapolis Colts |
Jacksonville Jaguars |
Tennessee Titans
AFC West:
Denver Broncos |
Kansas City Chiefs | Las Vegas Raiders | Los Angeles Chargers
NFC East:
Dallas Cowboys |
New York Giants |
Philadelphia Eagles |
Washington Commanders
NFC North:
Chicago Bears |
Detroit Lions |
Green Bay Packers |
Minnesota Vikings
NFC South:
Atlanta Falcons |
Carolina Panthers |
New Orleans Saints |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC West:
Arizona Cardinals |
Los Angeles Rams |
San Francisco 49ers |
Seattle Seahawks
