Oregon center Powers-Johnson to enter NFL draft

Oregon‘s Jackson Powers-Johnson, who won the Rimington Trophy as the nation’s top center in 2023, is declaring for the NFL draft.

Powers-Johnson announced his decision on X, formerly Twitter, thanking his current and former coaches and teammates and Oregon fans, while writing of his college experience, “Thank you for giving me the chance to live my dreams.” The junior from Draper, Utah, became the first Pac-12 player to win the Rimington Trophy, and also was named a first-team AP All-America selection.

He allowed only one pressure on 471 pass-blocking opportunities, and received the top pass-blocking grade (91.3), run-blocking grade (85.2) and overall grade (84.6) from Pro Football Focus among FBS centers. ESPN rated Powers-Johnson as the nation’s No. 2 recruit in the 2021 class. Powers-Johnson helped Oregon’s offensive line become a finalist for the Joe Moore Award.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper rates Powers-Johnson as the nation’s No. 3 draft-eligible center, behind Duke Graham Barton and Georgia’s Sedrick Van Pran. Powers-Johnson is the first Oregon underclassman to declare for the draft.

Also Monday, Powers-Johnson’s teammate, Oregon running back Bucky Irving, announced he will forgo his senior season and declare for the draft.

The junior running back from Chicago had back-to-back seasons of 1,000 rushing yards or more and accounted for 10 rushing touchdowns this past season. He is the eighth-ranked running back in Mel Kiper’s 2024 prospect rankings.

“My time in Oregon is something I will never forget and hold dear to my heart. It has truly changed my life,” Irving said in a statement posted on X. “I am truly blessed and humbled by the opportunity to make a lifelong dream come true.”

After starting his college career at Minnesota in 2021 and rushing for 699 yards and four touchdowns during that season, Irving transferred to Eugene ahead of his second college season. In his first year as a Duck, Irving rushed for 1,058 yards and five touchdowns.

Irving followed up his sophomore campaign with a 1,063-yard season that also included 395 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.

The Ducks are set to face Liberty on Jan. 1 in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.

Additional reporting from ESPN’s Paolo Uggetti.