One Oregon Duck was selected in the latest Mel Kiper mock draft. However, it isn’t the one we have become familiar with. The ESPN Draft Analyst bucked the trend by including Oregon QB Bo Nix in the latest edition of his mock draft, the first since the 2024 NFL Combine.
Nix was the only Duck to be included in the mock draft, with Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson shockingly excluded.
Mel Kiper Mocks Bo Nix to the Denver Broncos in First Round
Nix has found himself in and out of mock drafts throughout the season. However, in recent weeks, the Oregon QB has moved to become a solid Day 2 selection in longer-form mock drafts. However, Kiper has bucked that trend and has Nix being drafted by the Denver Broncos at No. 12 overall.
Nix was one of five first-round QBs in the latest Kiper Mock Draft, a take that has thrown a spanner into the mock draft industry works.
In his analysis, Kiper shares that “Nix isn’t going to be for every team, but Payton might see a little Drew Brees in him.” Nix’s ability within structure and play with timing has long been linked with the Broncos, who are now left with Jarrett Stidham as their presumed starter.
With five years as a starter, Nix has started 61 games over his college career, with his last two coming in Eugene. The Oregon QB resurrected his career at Autzen Stadium, ending his career third on both Oregon’s all-time passing yards leaders (8,101 yards) and touchdown leaders (74).
The two QBs above him are Justin Herbert and Marcus Mariota, both of whom were drafted in the top 10.
Oregon has had a player drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft for four straight seasons, and Nix is looking to follow Herbert (2020), Penei Sewell (2021), Kayvon Thibodeaux (2022), and Christian Gonzalez (2023), as first-round selections.
Kiper leaves out Jackson Powers-Johnson
One of the biggest surprises of Kiper’s latest mock draft was the exclusion of Powers-Johnson. Since the Senior Bowl in late January, the Oregon center has been a mainstay of mock drafts, often ranked in the teens to teams such as the Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks, and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Powers-Johnson is considered the best center in the 2024 NFL Draft and one of the top offensive linemen overall. However, with the pivot of the offensive line carrying little premium in terms of draft capital, the Oregon center shockingly dropped out.
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The impact of free agency also hasn’t helped solidify Powers-Johnson as a lock for the first round. The Jaguars and the Dolphins paid big money in NFL free agency, taking away potential landing spots.
However, Kiper did bring up the Oregon center when he said, “Powers-Johnson could be in play” for the Dallas Cowboys with the 24th selection. The ESPN analyst also states he “thought hard” about slotting him to the Arizona Cardinals at No. 27 overall.
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