The Oregon Pro Day gives the Ducks an opportunity to put the spotlight on their 2023 NFL Draft talent. As usual, the Ducks have delivered a terrific batch of talent, but which prospects deserve the most attention heading into this local showcase?
When Is Oregon’s Pro Day?
The Oregon Pro Day is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, March 14. The Ducks are just the second Pac-12 team to conduct their pro day, following Oregon State on Monday. They will be joined by Clemson and Northwestern, as well as Louisiana Tech.
You can view the full schedule of college pro days across the nation here at Pro Football Network.
Oregon Prospects To Watch at Pro Day Include Christian Gonzalez, Noah Sewell
The first year under Dan Lanning was a massive success for the Ducks, and the team’s 2023 NFL Draft class is reflective of that. The group would’ve been even stronger had quarterback Bo Nix, running back Noah Whittington, and defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus declared. Regardless, Oregon will be represented in Round 1 and beyond.
Christian Gonzalez, CB
The 2023 NFL Draft cornerback class is one of the most athletic groups we’ve seen in recent memory. And there’s a strong argument to make that Christian Gonzalez is the most athletic prospect of the entire bunch.
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Gonzalez still has to run agility drills, which he might do at Oregon’s Pro Day. But already, he has an unofficial Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.99. At 6’1 3/8″ and 197 pounds, with 32″ arms, Gonzalez has 4.38 speed, a 41.5″ vertical, and an 11’1″ broad jump. He’s a truly rare athlete with the size and mobility to dominate on Sundays.
Noah Sewell, LB
Much like fellow linebacker prospect Trenton Simpson, whose Clemson Pro Day takes place the same day as Oregon’s, Noah Sewell was a trendy first-round selection in the summer and early fall months. He’s since leveled out as a likely Day 2 pick, but the upside is still appealing.
At the Combine, Sewell measured in at 6’1 1/2″ and 246 pounds and still managed to run a strong 4.64 40-yard dash, with a 1.57 10-yard split above the 93rd percentile. Size, speed, and explosiveness are all strengths of Sewell. And if he can do well in agilities at the Oregon Pro Day, he could build on his positive momentum from Indianapolis.
DJ Johnson, EDGE
A former tight end-turned-edge rusher who put up 8.5 tackles for loss and six sacks in 2022, DJ Johnson is another under-the-radar talent in the stacked 2023 NFL Draft EDGE class.
Johnson still has room to further refine his pass-rushing arsenal, but in a league where evaluators constantly bet on tools, he has plenty of potential to offer. He’s a 6’4″, 260-pound edge rusher with 4.49 speed, and that athleticism will be on display at the Oregon Pro Day.
Alex Forsyth, C
Some, including Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline, are very high on Alex Forsyth as a sleeper at the center position in the 2023 NFL Draft. The tape is very solid, and those close to Forsyth routinely rave about his leadership and football intelligence.
Forsyth doesn’t have athletic testing on his side, however. His 20.5″ vertical and 7’11” broad jump were both position-worst metrics at the Combine, and he also has back and shoulder injuries on his record, which could cloud his stock. Nevertheless, Forsyth has the intangibles to potentially exceed his value as a late-round pick or PFA.
Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, OT
If you’re looking for a position-versatile project lineman to draft and mold on Day 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft, you’ll find few better options than Oregon’s Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu. Aumavae-Laulu never quite reached the level of consistency that comes with premier prospects in college, but the potential is all there.
At the Combine, Aumavae-Laulu posted a RAS of 9.34 at 6’5 1/2″, 317 pounds, with 34 1/2″ arms. His 8’10” broad jump and 7.65 three-cone, in particular, were marks above the 80th percentile. With his athleticism and power, Aumavae-Laulu could feasibly play tackle or guard in the NFL.
Bennett Williams, DB
The Ducks have many quality Day 3 sleepers in the 2023 NFL Draft, and Bennett Williams is near the top of that list. After breaking his fibula in 2021, Williams returned to amass 72 tackles, two picks, and six pass deflections in a hybrid slot role for Oregon in 2022.
Williams’ strong play earned him an invite to the East-West Shrine Bowl in Las Vegas, where he made a few nice plays in one-on-ones and team drills. He also interviewed well. Williams wasn’t invited to the NFL Combine, but the Oregon Pro Day is a big chance for him to assign quality numbers to the tape.
T.J. Bass, OL
Versatility is a theme on the Oregon offensive line. If nothing else, these prospects know how to play multiple positions, and that’ll endear them to NFL evaluators as depth pieces, at the very least. T.J. Bass is another such prospect.
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Bass started all of 2020 at left guard, split time between LG and left tackle in 2021, and started all 13 games at LT in 2022. Bass isn’t quite as athletic as Aumavae-Laulu, but as his 9’1″ broad jump shows, he still has good burst at 6’4 3/8″ and 317 pounds, and he can improve his marks at the Oregon Pro Day.
Ryan Walk, OL
Ryan Walk will likely be an undrafted free agent, but he has qualities that could earn him a shot in camp. He played in 38 games at Oregon, starting 28, and though he’s undersized, he has experience at both guard spots and center. A good day of testing could get him on the map.