Oregon outside linebacker Mase Funa says he will return for 2023 season
Mase Funa’s played arguably the best game of his career during Oregon’s Holiday Bowl win on Wednesday.
Shortly after the game ended, he confirmed it will not be his last game in green and yellow.
Funa, a fourth-year junior who has started each of the last three seasons at outside linebacker, indicated during his postgame press conference that he will return to Oregon for the 2023 season.
“I’m running it back,” Funa said.
In 12 games this season Funa racked up 32 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and an interception. Following Oregon’s comeback win over Washington State in September, he was named the Pac-12 defensive player of the week after grabbing a game-sealing interception.
In 46 games with the Ducks, Funa has racked tallied 117 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, and 6.0 sacks.
Funa’s return is significant for the Ducks as they will experience plenty of turnover on the defensive side of the ball during the offseason. Their most productive pass-rusher, DJ Johnson, has exhausted his eligibility and opted out of the Holiday Bowl to prepare for the NFL Draft. The Ducks also lost linebacker Noah Sewell and cornerback Christian Gonzalez to the Draft.
Senior defensive back Bennett Williams is set to depart as well.
Defensive linemen Brandon Dorlus and Casey Rogers are both eligible to return, but neither has publicly announced their future plans yet.
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Funa is the third Oregon player to publicly announce his intention to return for the 2023 season. Quarterback Bo Nix and offensive lineman Steven Jones are the others.
More on the 2023 NFL Draft
The 2023 NFL Draft is set to take place from Thursday, April 27 through Saturday, April 29 in Kansas City, Missouri. The event will be held at the plaza just outside of Union Station.
Round 1 of the NFL Draft is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Apr. 27. Rounds 2-3 will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Apr. 28, and Rounds 4-7 will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Apr. 29. The draft will be broadcasted throughout the weekend on both ESPN and NFL Network.
To be eligible for the NFL Draft, players must be at least three years removed from their final year of high school while having used up their collegiate eligibility. Underclassmen are able to request league approval to become eligible for the draft, as are players who have graduated prior to using up all of their collegiate eligibility. 100 underclassman were approved for last year’s draft. 73 of those 100 underclassmen were granted special eligibility while 27 of them were underclassmen who had completed their college degrees.
The 2023 NFL scouting combine will take place from Feb. 28 through March 6 in Indianapolis.
