Four Pac-12 prospects taken in First Round of NFL Draft

The Pac-12 Conference saw four prospects taken in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night.

Kayvon Thibodeaux (EDGE – Oregon) went No. 5 overall to the New York Giants.

USC wide receiver Drake London was the first receiver taken, going No. 8 overall to the Atlanta Falcons.

Washington Huskies cornerback Trent McDuffie went No. 21 overall to the Kansas City Chiefs.  The Chiefs traded up from No. 29 overall with the New England Patriots to select McDuffie.

And Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd was taken No. 27 by the Jacksonville Jaguars, who, like the Chiefs, traded up with Tampa Bay to select Lloyd.

The reigning national champion Georgia Bulldogs had five players taken in the first round, all from their defense.  Those five defensive selections are a new record for most players taken from the same unit in NFL Draft history.  New Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning was Georgia’s defensive coordinator before coming to Eugene.

Dan Lanning’s former defense had more first-round picks than Dan Lanning’s new conference

— Jon Wilner (@wilnerhotline) April 29, 2022

This  marks the third straight year the Oregon Ducks have had a prospect taken in the top ten of the draft, with Justin Herbert going No. 6 overall to the Chargers in 2020, and Penei Sewell going No. 7 overall to the Lions in 2021.

It is also the third straight year the Ducks have produced the Pac-12’s highest draft pick.

The four first-round selections from the Pac-12 are the most for the conference since the 2018 Draft, when four players were taken.  Three players were taken from the conference in the first-round of the 2019, 2020 and 2021 NFL Drafts.  In the 2017 Draft, six players from the Pac-12 were taken in the first round.

The second and third rounds of the NFL Draft start Friday at 4 p.m.  Rounds 4-7 take place Saturday.