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Published May 3, 2024
NFL Draft: Breaking down the Pac-12 selections
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Adam Gorney  •  Rivals.com
National Recruiting Director
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@adamgorney

The NFL Draft is in the books and now it’s time to review what happened over a busy three-day period. Here is a look at how the Pac-12 programs played out.


WASHINGTON (10)

Drafted players: Michael Penix Jr., Rome Odunze, Troy Fautanu, Ja’Lynn Polk, Roger Rosengarten, Bralen Trice, Jalen McMillan, Edefuan Ulofoshio, Dominique Hampton, Devin Culp

Overview: It was a banner draft for the Huskies as Penix, Odunze and Fautanu were first-round selections and Penix was the talk of the first round as the Atlanta Falcons shockingly picked him eighth overall. In a loaded wide receiver draft class, Odunze was the next pick at No. 9 and then Fautanu was No. 20. Washington didn’t slow down from there as Polk and Rosengarten went in the second round followed by Trice and McMillan in the third. Washington had a phenomenal draft and now the question is whether it can sustain that success with so much talent gone and a new coaching staff in place.

*****  

OREGON (8)

Drafted players: Bo Nix, Jackson Powers-Johnson, Troy Franklin, Khyree Jackson, Brandon Dorlus, Evan Williams, Bucky Irving, Jamal Hill

Overview: There can be no complaining about Oregon’s draft class since Nix went No. 12 overall as there was a mad rush for quarterbacks early in the first round and then Powers-Johnson, a potential first-rounder, was taken in the second. There were some players who slid as well including Franklin to the fourth round and that could be a big miss by NFL teams since the high four-star speedster had 81 catches for 1,383 yards and 14 touchdowns this past season.

*****  

USC (7)

Drafted players: Caleb Williams, Calen Bullock, MarShawn Lloyd, Jarrett Kingston, Brenden Rice, Solomon Byrd, Tahj Washington

Overview: Lincoln Riley’s quarterback bona fides are unquestionable as he’s now had Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Caleb Williams as three No. 1 picks and all three were transfers. So it’s no surprise that the No. 1 prospect in the 2025 class - five-star QB Julian Lewis - remains committed to the Trojans. It was a little surprising, though, that Rice fell to the early seventh round and Washington was a late seventh-round pick after great production at USC.

*****  

UTAH (5)

Drafted players: Cole Bishop, Jonah Elliss, Sione Vaki, Sataoa Laumea, Devaughn Vele

Overview: Utah did what Utah does: Develop undervalued players into pros, get players who were overlooked by other programs and make them big-time players and find recruits who fit their system and what they want to do on both sides of the ball. There were no first-round selections for the Utes but Bishop and Elliss going on Day 2 kept Utah in the draft night discussion.

*****  

ARIZONA (3)

Drafted players: Jordan Morgan, Jacob Cowing, Tanner McLachlan

Overview: Arizona had a very impressive draft as Morgan developed greatly in Tucson and ended up going late in the first round and then arguably one of the biggest steals of the entire weekend was Cowing, who was super productive first at UTEP and then with the Wildcats as he totaled 316 catches for 4,477 yards and 33 touchdowns in his career. McLachlan was a sixth-round selection.

*****  

OREGON STATE (3)

Drafted players: Taliese Fuaga, Anthony Gould, Kitan Oladapo

Overview: If Oregon State can take something to the recruiting trail from this draft it’s the development of Fuaga, even from a previous coaching staff, that could help land more overlooked offensive lineman. Fuaga was a project in high school who reshaped his body and his technique and then was taken in the first round. That’s huge. Gould and Oladapo were both Day 3 picks.

*****  

WASHINGTON STATE (3)

Drafted players: Jaden Hicks, Brennan Jackson, Chau Smith-Wade

Overview: Having three players selected in the draft from Washington State is definitely noteworthy and it could help the Cougars in recruiting especially since all three were on the defensive side of the ball and two were defensive backs. It was a surprise that Hicks lasted all the way into the fourth round, though, as some had him as the No. 1 safety on their board.

*****  

UCLA (2)

Drafted players: Laiatu Latu, Darius Muasau

Overview: Latu was the saving grace for UCLA in this draft because there was some pre-draft chatter that teams moved him way down their boards because of an earlier neck injury but he came off midway through the first round and there was a ton of talk about him. That could help when UCLA goes out to get edge rushers but other than that it was a quiet night as Muasau was a sixth-round pick.

*****  

CAL (1)

Drafted player: Patrick McMorris

Overview: It was a relatively quiet weekend for Cal in the draft as McMorris was the only selection and he wasn’t picked until the sixth round. It could be a steal for the Miami Dolphins though as the former two-star running back who started his career at San Diego State had 90 tackles, seven pass breakups and two forced fumbles this past season.

*****

STANFORD (1)

Drafted player: Joshua Karty

Overview: The rapid decline of Stanford’s football program in the final years under coach David Shaw was once again evident in this draft as Karty was the only pick as a sixth-rounder - and he’s a kicker. Second-year coach Troy Taylor has his work cut out for him and this draft won’t help much in recruiting.

*****

Note: Arizona State and Colorado did not have a player selected in the 2024 NFL Draft.

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