Oregon Ducks standout pointed out as a player to watch in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft

An Oregon Ducks standout was pointed out by Pro Football Focus this week as a player to watch in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. 

PFF singled out Oregon edge rusher Matayo Uiagalelei as a player that could be selected in the first round of next year's draft. 

From PFF: Uiagalelei, the younger brother of former Florida State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, is a long, powerful edge defender at 6-foot-5 and 270 pounds. His nine sacks in 2024 were tied for the sixth most among Big Ten defenders, and he has intriguing change-of-direction ability at his size.

With continued development, Uiagalelei could become a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Uiagalelei is a former four-star recruit who signed with Oregon during the 2023 recruiting cycle (he was rated as the No. 44 overall player in the nation in 247Sports' composite rankings). 

The California native was productive as a true freshman, totaling 2.5 sacks in 2023, before experiencing a breakout season in 2024 with 10.5 sacks (per ESPN) and 13 tackles for loss. 

Oregon fans are obviously hoping that Uiagalelei will stay at Oregon for four seasons, but it's hard to see the dominant pass rusher passing up an opportunity to be a first-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft.