The 11-2 Oregon Ducks will play the 13-0 Liberty Flames in the 2023 Fiesta Bowl. How many NFL Draft prospects will play in this game, and what are their projections at the next level?
Fiesta Bowl Prospect Preview
It was a difficult year for the Oregon Ducks, who lost the Pac-12 Championship — and their ticket to the CFB Playoffs — in a tight battle with the Washington Huskies.
The Ducks had two losses on the year, and they both came at the hands of the Huskies, by a total margin of just six points. It’s difficult to be so close to glory and come up short, but Oregon will have a chance to put a blemish on Liberty’s undefeated record.
Oregon will be without star WR Troy Franklin, Rimington Award winner Jackson Powers-Johnson, and cornerback Khyree Jackson in this game, as all three have opted out to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft.
Other prospects like Bo Nix, Bucky Irving, and Brandon Dorlus, however, have chosen to play one last game for Dan Lanning and Co.
Oregon NFL Draft Prospects
Bo Nix, QB
There was a time when Bo Nix wasn’t even taken seriously as a potential NFL Draft prospect. But upon transferring to Oregon, Nix resurrected his career, became one of the most efficient passers in college football, and put himself on the map for Round 1 capital.
In 2023, Nix completed a record 77.3% of his passes for 4,145 yards, 40 touchdowns, and just three picks. His accuracy and adept distribution ability will be coveted, but he also has the short-area athleticism and arm elasticity to be a creator in adverse situations.
Bucky Irving, RB
Bucky Irving was one of the most dynamic runners in college football this past year, amassing 172 carries for 1,063 yards and 10 touchdowns, as well as 53 catches for 395 yards and two additional scores.
At 5’10”, 195 pounds, Irving doesn’t have the size of a volume back, but he’s an incredibly explosive and shifty ball carrier with size-defying contact balance. He’s a true two-phase weapon and could be a Top 100 pick.
Brandon Dorlus, EDGE
While he’s still fleshing out his pass-rushing arsenal, Brandon Dorlus is built to be a disruptor at 6’3″, 280 pounds, with high-end proportional length.
In 2023, he amassed five sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, and a whopping nine pass deflections. Dorlus has a rare power profile, but also has a knack for occluding passing lanes and finding the football.
Terrance Ferguson, TE
Terrance Ferguson is one of Oregon’s wild cards on the 2024 NFL Draft circuit. Right now, it’s unclear if he’ll declare or not after catching 40 passes for 396 yards and five scores in 2023. But if he does, he could be a riser late in the process in the 2024 TE class.
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At 6’6″, Ferguson is a towering target with great baseline physicality, who brings that edge as a blocker, as a RAC threat, and as a 50-50 weapon when competing for tough catches.
Tez Johnson, WR
Much like Ferguson, Tez Johnson is a wild card on the 2024 NFL Draft circuit. He’s overlooked at times because of Franklin, but he has a case to declare after catching 75 passes for 1,010 yards and nine scores in his first season at Oregon.
A former Troy transfer, Johnson is undersized at 5’10”, 160 pounds, but he’s an absolute dynamo with speed and twitch.
Ajani Cornelius, OT
A Rhode Island transfer, Ajani Cornelius immediately settled in as Oregon’s starting right tackle, earning honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors.
At 6’5″, 308 pounds, with elite proportional length, he can drive awesome power on his punches and his drive blocks, and he flashes the necessary athleticism to match rushers out of his stance.
Other Oregon NFL Draft Prospects To Watch
- Gary Bryant Jr., WR
- Marcus Harper II, G
- Steven Jones, G
- Popo Aumavae, DT
- Jordan Burch, DL
- Jestin Jacobs, LB
- Jeffrey Bassa, LB/S
- Evan Williams, DB
Liberty NFL Draft Prospects
Kaidon Salter, QB
Kaidon Salter is technically eligible for the 2024 NFL Draft, but the likelier outcome is that he becomes a sleeper to watch in the 2025 NFL Draft cycle. Salter amassed almost 4,000 total yards and 43 total touchdowns while leading Liberty to a C-USA title in 2023.
Salter is undersized at 6’1″, 200 pounds, but the former highly-touted recruit has dynamic athleticism and an arm that generates easy velocity, and his production is undeniable.
CJ Daniels, WR
CJ Daniels has 47 catches for 988 yards and 10 scores heading into bowl season, and is coming off a C-USA title game in which he caught seven passes for 157 yards and a score. At 6’1″, 195 pounds, speed and ball tracking are central parts of Daniels’ game, and when he declares, he’ll be a sleeper to keep tabs on.
X’Zauvea Gadlin, G
At 6’4″, 320 pounds, X’Zauvea Gadlin is an offensive line prospect who could be coveted as a PFA for teams in need of improved interior depth. Gadlin isn’t the most explosive mover, but he’s incredibly strong, heavy-handed, and naturally well-leveraged with his frame.
