Oregon left tackle Josh Conerly Jr. is one of the consensus top offensive linemen in the 2025 NFL Draft.
He always had premier physical attributes throughout his time with the Ducks, but his 2024 season saw him truly unlock his potential. Now, he is projected as a potential first-round pick in the upcoming draft.
Josh Conerly Jr.’s Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 6’4″
- Weight: 315 pounds
- Position: Offensive Tackle
- School: Oregon
- Current Year: Junior
Conerly was a five-star recruit coming out of Rainier Beach High School in Seattle, Washington. A four-year varsity contributor who also played basketball in high school, he earned MaxPreps All-American honors as a senior and won the 2021 Anthony Muñoz Award as the best lineman in high school.
He actually started off as a running back in his freshman year before converting to the offensive line as a sophomore. He committed to Oregon’s class of 2022.
The 2022 season served as an introduction to the then Power 5 level for Conerly, as he appeared in all 13 games for the Ducks as a true freshman. He took 65 reps as Oregon’s left tackle and was also utilized as an eligible sixth offensive lineman on 51 snaps. In total, he played 118 snaps on offense and saw 60 additional reps on special teams.
Once incumbent left tackle T.J. Bass departed for the NFL, Conerly slotted into Oregon’s starting lineup. In 540 pass-blocking reps, he allowed just one sack in all of 2023. He struggled with penalties in his true sophomore year, though, racking up eight of them that season. In spite of that, he played a key role in keeping Bo Nix upright in the quarterback’s Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year campaign.
Though Conerly showed flashes through his first two collegiate seasons, 2024 is when he truly came into his own. Having developed as a technician and maximizing his physical tools, Conerly finished the year with a 78.0 PFF grade and allowed one sack and just nine pressures all season.
He earned a first-team All-Big Ten nomination for his performance, and the Ducks finished the regular season with a 13-0 undefeated record. After Oregon was eliminated from the College Football Playoff in the quarterfinals, he announced he was forgoing his additional eligibility and entering the 2025 NFL Draft.
Scouting Report
Strengths
- Comes from a diverse Oregon run scheme that has given him significant reps as both a zone blocker and a gap blocker.
- Tremendous athlete who showcases impressive quickness coming out of his stance and into his kick slide.
- Offers plenty of range as a blocker in space due to his explosiveness.
- Does a good job of maintaining a wide base with quick footwork when dropping back into pass protection.
- Lateral quickness allows him to redirect in pass protection without sacrificing his body control.
- Takes measured and precise angles blocking on the move, whether it’s as a down blocker or as a reach blocker.
- Pad level is good, as he does a good job of keeping his weight underneath him when he engages in contact.
- Naturally lower center of gravity helps him take advantage of taller defenders.
- Flexible lower body allows him to generate the ideal bend in his knees, which allows him to win the leverage battle at the point of attack.
- Excels at rolling his hips through contact to seal off opposing defenders in the run game.
- Coordinated blocker climbing to the second level, as he does a good job of staying low and not over-pursuing in space.
- Hand placement improved over the course of his collegiate career, as he showcased the timing and accuracy needed to enter the frame of opposing defenders consistently.
- Has done a good job of adding weight to his frame over the course of his collegiate career without sacrificing his athleticism.
- Play strength seemed to get better as the 2024 season progressed.
Weaknesses
- Play strength isn’t bad, but it isn’t particularly elite, either.
- Seems to have enough length to stick at tackle, but his overall size is a bit smaller for the position at the NFL level.
- Can give up some initial pushback against powerful edge rushers.
- Doesn’t particularly have a nasty demeanor when he locks up with the opposition, and while he’s still effective in executing assignments, teams in need of nasty tone-setters may look elsewhere.
- Though his hand placement has improved, he can still land his strikes too far outside, leaving the inside of his chest susceptible to power moves.
- Power in his jabs isn’t bad, but he doesn’t often knock edge rushers off balance with the force in his strikes.
Current Draft Projection and Summary
Conerly had the five-star pedigree entering the 2024 season to warrant NFL consideration, but the tape had been inconsistent in his first year as a starting offensive tackle. It was this past season, though, that he truly came into his own.
With tremendous athleticism and body control, Conerly moves like a much lighter man on tape. His foot speed in pass protection and his redirect ability give him significant range as a blocker, making it easier for him to execute blocking assignments on the move. Though he projects best in a more zone-oriented running system, he has thrived in gap assignments as well.
There are plenty of offensive linemen who test well, but Conerly’s pad level and coordination make it easier for him to climb to the second level and block linebackers. He’s obviously bigger and stronger than the off-ball defenders he goes up against, but his precision and fluidity on the move allow him to take precise angles blocking in space.
Though his play strength isn’t elite yet, Conerly has gotten stronger as his time at Oregon progressed. He improved how well he absorbed power at the point of attack, and if he can continue to better withstand bull rushes and stabs, his ceiling is high.
He seems to have long enough arms to stay at tackle, as his wingspan, combined with his athleticism, gives him the range to thrive outside. If teams were to project him inside, he likely could thrive as a guard, but his future seems particularly bright at tackle.
Given his athletic tools, ideal arm length, and body control, Conerly seems like a safe bet to go in the first round. He looks the part of a late Round 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to this point, but considering how he’s progressed quickly in college and is still just 21 years old, a team could take a chance on his upside earlier than that.
