EUGENE, Ore. — Oregon held its Pro Day on Tuesday morning, giving 15 former Ducks the opportunity to show off their talents in front of NFL scouts. Seven Ducks received invites to last month’s NFL Combine in Indianapolis, but Tuesday gave eight others a chance to improve their stock ahead of the NFL Draft. This year's draft will run from April 25-27.
After Tuesday’s Pro Day, let’s take a look at which Ducks saw their stock rise.
Defensive lineman Casey Rogers
After four seasons at Nebraska, Rogers came to Eugene ahead of the 2022 season and was one of Oregon’s most consistent performers on the defensive line over the past two years. He played in 27 games for the Ducks, racking up 56 tackles, including six for loss, while adding 38 quarterback pressures, 1.5 sacks, and a forced fumble.
Rogers impressed during Oregon’s Pro Day on Tuesday, showing off the athleticism that made him a contributor over the past two seasons. He looked extremely fluid during the D-line’s position drills, demonstrating his ability to get low while changing directions, something NFL scouts will be looking for.
While coming in at 6-foot-4 and 294 pounds, Rogers showed impressive athleticism that would have ranked him near the top of the NFL Combine leaderboards. His 4.82-second 40-yard dash would have ranked second among defensive tackles at the Combine, only trailing Florida State’s Braden Fiske.
In addition to his impressive 40 time, he displayed his explosiveness in both the vertical and broad jump. His 35-inch vertical jump would have been the best mark in Indianapolis by an inch and a half while his broad jump of 9 feet 8 inches would have tied with Clemson’s Ruke Orhorhoro for the second-best mark, again only trailing Fiske.
Rogers also showed his pure strength by putting up 25 reps on the bench press, the most of the 10 Ducks who bench pressed on Tuesday. His 25 reps would have tied him for the eight-most at the Combine, though four of those eight weighed in heavier than Rogers’ 294 pounds.
Rogers’ combination of size, speed, and strength was on display during every event on Tuesday and will be the biggest factor in attracting attention from NFL teams. The biggest knock on his profile as a prospect is his age, as he was a member of the 2018 recruiting class and 2023 was his sixth year in college football.
Rogers currently doesn’t rank inside the top 600 on NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board, but could find his way into more and more big boards after a strong showing at his Pro Day.
At this point, Rogers will likely be an undrafted free agent, but after demonstrating his combination of strength and athleticism at his Pro Day, could find himself sneaking into the back of the draft. Regardless of whether he is drafted or not, Rogers is likely to find his way on to a roster by the time that rookie minicamps roll around in May.
Linebacker Jamal Hill
Hill was a five-year contributor for Oregon’s defense, accumulating 90 tackles, two interceptions, 13 passes defended, and four forced fumbles over the course of 60 games. Initially a safety, Hill made the switch to linebacker ahead of the 2023 season, putting on extra muscle to help out where the team needed him most.
He was listed at 6-foot and 226 pounds during his senior season but cut down for his Pro Day, weighing in at 216 pounds. This clearly made a big impact as he absolutely flew in the 40-yard dash, coming in with a time of 4.41 seconds.
His 4.41-second 40 would have been the best among linebackers at the NFL Combine and would have tied him for the fastest time for safeties. He runs with long strides, building up acceleration over time, which is demonstrated by his 1.61-second 10-yard split. He clearly has the top-level long speed to stick with NFL-level athletes, but there will be questions about whether he has the quickness to accelerate in short areas.
Even at 226 pounds, Hill would be undersized for an NFL linebacker, and I suspect that he will make the switch back to safety at the next level. If there were any questions about whether he has the speed to cover the necessary ground as a defensive back, they were answered without a doubt on Tuesday.
Hill also put up 17 reps on the bench press, which would have tied him for fifth among linebackers and would have placed him fourth among safeties. This strength, partnered with the speed that he displayed on Tuesday should make him an intriguing prospect for NFL teams.
He has often found himself as much of a tweener, lacking some of the quickness necessary to play safety while being a bit undersized to play linebacker, but I think that he has shown that with the help of NFL coaches, he could be developed to play either position.
Hill currently ranks 452nd on NFL Mock Draft Data Base’s consensus big board, but as only a fifth-year senior doesn’t quite hold some of the same age concerns as the Ducks’ other fringe prospects. After already proving he can play linebacker in 2023, with his 68.9 PFF grade only trailing Jeffrey Bassa in Oregon’s linebacker rotation and ranking 72nd out of the 185 Power Five linebackers with at least 300 snaps, he proved on Tuesday that he has the speed to also play safety. His versatility should draw interest from NFL teams and could help land him in day three of the draft.
Safety Evan Williams
Williams’ draft stock was already on the rise when he jumped out of the gym at the NFL Combine but helped it even more on Tuesday by improving his 40 time and adding a bench press and three-cone shuttle.
A four-year contributor, and two-time All-Mountain West selection at Fresno State, Williams decided to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, former Oregon defensive back, Bennett Williams, transferring to Eugene for his fifth and final year of college football. After missing the Ducks’ first game with an injury, Williams quickly established himself as one of Oregon’s most impactful defenders upon his return.
He started 13 games for the Ducks, leading the team with 82 tackles, including five for loss, while adding 4.5 sacks, two passes defended, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. Not only did his 76 PFF grade rank sixth among Oregon’s defensive contributors, it placed him 40th among the 145 Power Five safeties who played more than 500 snaps this season. Additionally, Williams was one of only 12 safeties to receive a run defense, tackling, pass rush, and coverage grade all over a 70, demonstrating his ability to impact the game at every level.
Williams impressed scouts in Indianapolis, with a 40.5-inch vertical and a 10 foot 6 inch broad jump that ranked second and fourth among safeties, respectively. What held him back at the Combine though was his 40-yard dash. His 4.60-second time tied him for the fourth slowest among the 19 safeties who ran in Indianapolis but he was able to improve that number on Tuesday, coming in with a mark of 4.56 seconds that would have moved him up four spots.
While his 40 time was only better than three safeties, his 1.55-second 10-yard split was better than five and tied him with three others. This ability for instant acceleration is what makes Williams such a threat in the run game, able to get downhill to blow up plays in the backfield.
Williams’ speed is more quick than fast but by improving his 40 time at his Pro Day, he showcased his ability to cover sideline to sideline when playing as a deep safety.
He also added 18 bench press reps on Tuesday which would have ranked fourth had he benched at the combine. This strength is what makes him such a good tackler, as even at just 206 pounds he has the ability to bring down ball carriers like running backs and tight ends with upwards of 20 pounds on him.
Williams currently ranks 168th on NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board which would place him as an early day three pick, but after his impressive outing at Oregon’s Pro Day, could potentially make his way into day two.
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