Pair of Oregon Ducks projected in first round of latest ESPN mock draft

Over the past few months, Oregon star sophomore Noah Sewell has frequently been tabbed as the Ducks’ top prospect for the 2023 NFL Draft. Several publications have Sewell ranked as the top draft-eligible inside linebacker, and it’s long been believed that he will be the first Oregon player off the board next spring.

Earlier this week, though, it was a different Duck generating buzz in a notable mock draft.

Jordan Reid of ESPN released an updated first-round mock on Thursday and listed Oregon sophomore cornerback Christian Gonzalez will be the first player drafted from the program next spring. Reid has Gonzalez going No. 21 overall to the Arizona Cardinals and has him tabbed as the third cornerback selected in the first round.

Here’s the rundown from Reid.

“Gonzalez was a huge addition for the Ducks after playing the previous two seasons at Colorado, and he’s now generating early draft buzz. And Arizona’s depth chart at corner lacks depth beyond 2022. At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Gonzalez is a big corner with outstanding play patience. He gets his eyes on the ball and makes plays on it, racking up 11 pass breakups over the past two seasons. But now scouts want to see him generate turnovers; he hasn’t yet recorded an interception during his career.“

Since joining the Ducks for spring ball, Gonzalez has drawn heavy praise from teammates and coaches. He has frequently been called one of the fastest players in the program, and his leadership has provided an immediate boost for a program that is replacing three starters in the secondary.

Further down the board, Reid projects that Sewell will be drafted 29th overall by the Dallas Cowboys.

“Dallas could use another wide receiver after trading Amari Cooper, but considering the franchise hasn’t been shy about drafting linebackers in the first round in recent years, Sewell makes sense here,” Reid wrote. “Adding the instinctive and physical hitter would free up Micah Parsons to work more off the edge. Sewell had 112 tackles and 4.0 sacks last season.“

Gonzalez and Sewell are two of just three players from the Pac-12 that Reid has slated to go in the first round. The other is USC receiver Jordan Addison, who he projects the Baltimore Ravens to take with the 19th pick.

During the 2022 draft, edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux was the only Oregon player drafted and was taken No. 5 overall by the New York Giants.

Reid’s entire first-round mock draft is as follows.

1. New York Jets

Will Anderson, Edge, Alabama

2. Chicago Bears

Jalen Carter, Defensive Line, Georgia

3. Houston Texans

C.J. Stroud, Quarterback, Ohio State

4. Jacksonville Jaguars

Kayshon Boutte, Wide Receiver, LSU

5. Atlanta Falcons

Bryce Young, Quarterback, Alabama

6. Pittsburgh Steelers

Peter Skoronski, Tackle, Northwestern

7. Carolina Panthers

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Wide Receiver, Ohio State

8. Detroit Lions

Will Levis, Quarterback, Kentucky

9. Seattle Seahawks

Nolan Smith, Edge, Georgia

10. New York Giants

Anthony Richardson, Quarterback, Florida

11. Washington Commanders

Kelee Ringo, Cornerback, Georgia

12. Miami Dolphins (via San Francisco)

Trenton Simpson, Linebacker, Clemson

13. Tennessee Titans

Michael Mayer, Tight End, Notre Dame

14. Cincinnati Bengals

Cam Smith, Cornerback, South Carolina

15. Philadelphia Eagles (via New Orleans)

Bryan Bresee, Defensive Tackle, Clemson

16. Las Vegas Raiders

Jaelyn Duncan, Tackle, Maryland

17. New England Patriots

Paris Johnson, Tackle, Ohio State

18. Philadelphia Eagles

Myles Murphy, Edge, Clemson

19. Baltimore Ravens

Jordan Addison, Wide Receiver, USC

20. Minnesota Vikings

Isaiah Foskey, Edge, Notre Dame

21. Arizona Cardinals

Christian Gonzales, Cornerback, Oregon

22. Houston Texans (via Cleveland)

Tyree Wilson, Edge, Texas Tech

23. Kansas City Chiefs

Andre Carter II, Edge, Army

24. Seattle Seahawks (via Denver)

Tyler Van Dyke, Quarterback, Miami

25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Eli Ricks, Cornerback, Alabama

26. Indianapolis Colts

Quentin Johnston, Wide Receiver, TCU

27. Detroit Lions (via Los Angeles Rams)

Bijan Robinson, Running Back, Texas

28. Los Angeles Chargers

Siaki Ika, Defensive Line, Baylor

29. Dallas Cowboys

Noah Sewell, Linebacker, Oregon

30. Green Bay Packers

Jaheim Bell, Tight End, South Carolina

31. Buffalo Bills

Antonio Johnson, Safety, Texas A&M