National champion Ohio State had four players taken in the first round of the NFL draft in 2025, wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, offensive lineman Donovan Jackson, defensive tackle Tyleik Williams, and offensive lineman Josh Simmons.
In all the Buckeyes sent 14 to the draft this April.
The year before in 2024, Michigan led all programs with 13 players selected, just one in the first round, quarterback JJ McCarthy. But four players from the national championship team hit the first round in 2025, defensive tackle Mason Graham, tight end Colston Loveland, defensive tackle Kenneth Grant.
The Georgia national champions of 2022 and 2023 produced 25 draft picks, five in the first round in 2022, three first-rounders in 2023. All five of the 2022 first-rounders came off Dan Lanning's defense.
It takes a core of elite, high-end NFL talent to win a national championship. Preseason All-Americas are nice, but draft-quality football talent is where the rubber meets the road.
On Tuesday two of Oregon's transfer acquisitions, safety Dillon Thieneman and running back Makhi Hughes, were named to the Walter Camp preseason All-America second team.
While it's a tremendous honor for those players, it's a shame that Kenyon Sadiq, Bryce Boettcher, Iapani Laloulu and Matayo Uiagalelei didn't receive consideration.
The top defensive player in the portal is set to visit Oregon.
Purdue S Dillon Thieneman combined for 210 tackles, 7 TFL, 9 PBU and 6 INT in 2 years with the Boilermakers.
The Ducks lose safetys Kobe Savage and Tysheem Johnson after this season. pic.twitter.com/Ra7qGIsn59
— Ted Leroux (@TedontheDucks) December 11, 2024
Preseason All-America teams are mostly hype. Hughes and Thieneman earned the hype on the field, however. Thieneman racked up 210 tackles in two years on a bad Purdue team, playing out of position as a box safety the second year. Hughes rushed for 2,779 yards and 22 touchdowns for the Green Wave as a freshman and sophomore.
Last season he had seven runs of over 30 yards. He'll bring new explosiveness to the Oregon running game.
Good luck stopping Makhi Hughes#AmericanWay x @GreenWaveFB pic.twitter.com/N4K9q2FW2k
— The American (@American_Conf) October 5, 2024
Preseason All-America honors don't win championships. The real verdict is the 2026 NFL draft. If the Ducks are championship-level, it'll prove out with four first-rounders.
Those four could be Hughes, Thieneman, Uiagalelei and Sadiq, but we'll find out in 59 days if they're going to be that good. It'd help the Ducks cause if Dante Moore, Isaiah World, Dakorien Moore and Iapani Laloulu display future first-round talent also.
Want to know who the real national championship contenders are? Look at the NFL mock drafts for 2026, and compare them. The Ducks are in the hunt, only this time they're shooting.
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