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Ferguson, Harmon headline 3 Ducks named breakout candidates in NFL
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- Ferguson, Harmon headline 3 Ducks named breakout candidates in NFL
Ferguson, Harmon headline 3 Ducks named breakout candidates in NFL
There are nearly 50 current pro Oregon Ducks in the NFL, with a number of those serving in more prominent roles than others.
Of course, there's the two AFC West quarterbacks in Justin Herbert and Bo Nix , who lead the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos, respectively. Running back Bucky Irving had a strong rookie season and will be the starter for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the backfield. Defensive end DeForest Buckner and Jevon Holland are above-average veterans on the defensive side of the ball. Rookies Kenyon Sadiq and Dillon Thieneman are just getting started.
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But there's a number of former Ducks that have yet to fully reach their potential in the league.
As part of their article of tabbing one breakout candidate from all 32 teams in the NFL, The Athletic named three former Oregon standouts: Los Angeles Rams tight end Terrance Ferguson , Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Derrick Harmon and Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus .
Ferguson was lightly used with the Rams in his first season after being selected in the second round in 2025, but head coach Sean McVay rarely relies on rookies to contribute — especially with how complex his offensive system is. But 2026 is set to be different with Ferguson serving as a strong third target behind star wide receiver Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. With his elite athleticism at the tight end position and veratility to split out wide, Ferguson could be in for an impressive breakout campaign.
Meanwhile, Harmon was elite as soon as he stepped onto the field for the Steelers, though an injury derailed his rookie season. When he was on the field, the Pittsburgh defense was a completely different animal.
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"When healthy, the 6-4, 313-pound defensive tackle lived up to his draft position as a first-round pick," The Athletic's Mike DeFabo wrote. "The Steelers gave up an average of 166 rushing yards in the games Harmon missed and just over 90 in the games in which he played. As these stats suggest, Harmon's quick hips and strong hands allow him to get off blocks and make a difference in the run game. His challenge will be to stay healthy and add more as a pass rusher. The Steelers plan to have Harmon spend time in training camp working with new OLBs coach C.J. Ah You to add more moves to the DT's pass-rush repertoire and improve upon his three-sack rookie season."
While Harmon came in with a first-round reputation, Dorlus has had to work his way into a carving out a consistant role in the league. Drafted in the fourth round in 2024, the 6-foot-3, 295-pounder has just 30 tackles in two seasons — though 8.5 of those were sacks last season.
"Dorlus had six sacks and 22 quarterback pressures in his final eight games last season," Josh Kendall wrote. "It was the type of jump the Falcons had been hoping for when they picked him in the fourth round in 2024, but it looked like it might never come. He only played 19 snaps as a rookie and then totaled 1.5 sacks in his first seven games last year. The Falcons traded his close friend and linemate Ruke Orhorhoro in the offseason but added more beef around him up front, ostensibly freeing him up to chase the quarterback even more this season."
Every year in the NFL, it seems like a few Ducks emerge as standouts across the league. If The Athletic's predictions turn out to be true, Ferguson, Harmon and Dorlus will be the next batch of former Oregon stars to do so.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Ferguson, Harmon headline 3 Ducks named breakout candidates in NFL
