Dan Lanning Sheds Light On NFL Draft Success: Oregon Ducks Becoming NFL Machine?

The first season Lanning took over, Oregon sent six players to the NFL including 2023 first round selection cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who is dominating with the New England Patriots.

In the 2024 NFL Draft, Oregon set a program record of the most Ducks drafted with eight . Former Ducks quarterback Bo Nix was selected No. 12 overall to the Denver Broncos and shattered expectations by becoming an NFL offensive rookie of the year candidate.

The 2025 NFL Draft could shatter that record, further cementing Lanning's impact on the program and undoubtedly helping recruiting efforts in getting top high school and transfer talent to Eugene.

Last year, Lanning traveled to Alabama to be with Nix on night one of the 2024 NFL Draft. He celebrated with Nix and his family as he got the call from Denver coach Sean Payton.

Is Lanning planning on traveling to be with former players for 2025 NFL Draft?

“We'll still be practicing. But there might be an opportunity to be able to slip away to one of our players that night if there's an opportunity,” Lanning told Amaranthus.

The 2025 NFL Draft takes place from Thursday, April 24- Saturday, April 26. With the Oregon spring game on Saturday, it could be a tall task to travel during the final days of the Ducks' spring practices.

However, there are two Ducks who have been projected as first round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft - Former Oregon defensive lineman Derrick Harmon and offensive lineman Josh Conerly Jr.

Harmon has taken top-30 visits to the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings. In Mel Kiper's most recent mock draft, Harmon is drafted by the Steelers with the No. 20 overall pick and Conerly Jr. is drafted to the Houston Texans with the No. 25 overall selection.

A Missouri native, Lanning is a Kansas City Chiefs fan and smiles as talks about his team.

“I’m always hoping that a couple of our guys might end up on the Chiefs,” Lanning told Amaranthus.

Lanning success in sending players to the league didn't start in Eugene. Since the 2021 NFL Draft, an impressive 28 players he's coached have been drafted. Lanning gives all the credit to his players.

“It’s a great feeling, right? But again, I didn't do any of that work," Lanning told Amaranthus. "They did that work. So a lot of times capturing a goal and realizing a dream is really based on making sure that you put people in position to be able to do that and take advantage of what's in front of them and then they have to be motivated."

Oregon's NFL Draft hopefuls include Harmon, Conerly Jr., quarterback Dillon Gabriel, running back Jordan James, wide receivers Traeshon Holden and Tez Johnson, tight end Terrance Ferguson, offensive lineman Ajani Cornelius, defensive linemen Jamaree Caldwell and Jordan Burch, linebacker Jeffrey Bassa, and cornerback Jabbar Muhammad. 

Lanning made it clear his pride in former Ducks goes beyond the NFL.

"The big picture dream, some of these guys want to go play in the NFL, but just as important is what's their career look like after the ball goes flat? What do they do after those moments? And I'm going to be just as proud as some of the guys that leave here with a degree and what they're able to do with their degree when they leave Oregon as a guy that goes on with the NFL,” Lanning told Amaranthus.