Pac-12 sees uptick of selections in 2023 NFL Draft
The Pac-12 Conference had 27 players selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, up from 25 in 2022, highlighted by OREGON cornerback Christian Gonzalez (17th overall selection by the New England Patriots), USC wide receiver Jordan Addison (23rd overall selection by the Minnesota Vikings), and UTAH tight end Dalton Kincaid (25th overall selection by the Buffalo Bills).
The Pac-12 joins the SEC and ACC as the only conferences to have at least three first round picks in every draft since 2011.
As the 17th overall pick, Gonzalez gives Oregon a first-round pick in four straight years for the first time in school history (Justin Herbert sixth overall to the Chargers in 2020, Penei Sewell seventh overall to the Lions in 2021, and Kevon Thibodeaux fifth overall to the Giants last year).
Gonzalez becomes the first Oregon defensive back selected in the first round since Alex Molden in 1996 and It also marks the 10th straight draft that the New England Patriots have taken a Pac-12 player.
Addison gives the Trojans a wide receiver in the first round for the second straight year after Drake London was the eighth overall pick last year. It's the first time USC has had a WR taken in the first round in back-to-back drafts since 1993-94 with Curtis Conway and Johnnie Morton.
Utah has back-to-back years with a first round pick for the first time in school history after Devin Lloyd was the 27th pick last year. Kincaid is the first Utah tight end to go in the first round ever and becomes the first Pac-12 tight end to be drafted in the opening round since UCLA's Marcedes Lewis in 2006.
Pac-12/NFL Draft Notes:
- Oregon led all Pac-12 schools with six players drafted, matching the school's all-time record done three times previously (2009, 2002, 1972). It also matches the total of UCLA's Pac-12 leading draft class from 2022.
- Stanford was second in the Pac-12 with five players drafted. It's the third time in the last five years that the Cardinal have had five players selected. Stanford has 14 straight years with at least one player picked and has three or more selections in 11 of those 14 drafts.
- USC has had at least one player picked in every draft since 1939, tied with Michigan for the longest active streak. The Trojans have also had a player selected in the first three rounds in each of the last 22 years.
- Arizona State has had a player selected in 10 straight drafts with 2013 being the only year since 1961 that the Sun Devils did not have at least one player picked.
- The Pac-12 returns 25 of their 51 players from the 2022 All-Pac-12 1st and 2nd teams, the highest percentage among the Power 5 conferences
- Pac-12: 25 of 51 (49.0%) with 10 returners from 1st team
- SEC: 21 of 55 (38.2%) with 7 returners from the 1st team
- ACC: 20 of 53 (37.7%) with 9 returners from the 1st team
- Big 12: 21 of 59 (35.6%) with 8 returners from the 1st team
- Big Ten: 18 of 52 (34.6%) with 8 returners from the 1st team
- Seven different NFL teams took multiple Pac-12 players in the draft with the Baltimore Ravens taking three:
| Baltimore Ravens | Kyu Blu Kelly - Stanford 5th round, 157th overall |
Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu - Oregon 6th round, 199th overall |
Andrew Vorhees - USC 7th round, 229 overall |
| New England Patriots | Christian Gonzalez - Oregon 1st round, 17th overall |
Atonio Mafi - UCLA 5th round, 144th overall |
|
| Buffalo Bills | Dalton Kincaid - Utah 1st round, 25th overall |
Alex Austin - Oregon St 7th round, 252nd overall |
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| Minnesota Vikings | Jordan Addison - USC 1st round, 23rd overall |
Mekhi Blackmon - USC 3rd round, 102nd overall |
|
| Los Angeles Chargers | Tuli Tuipulotu - USC 2nd round, 54th overall |
Daiyan Henley - Washington St 3rd round, 85th overall |
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| Chicago Bears | Noah Sewell - Oregon 5th round, 148th overall |
Kendall Williamson - Stanford 7th round, 256th overall |
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| Arizona Cardinals | Michael Wilson - Stanford 3rd round, 94th overall |
Jon Gaines II - UCLA 4th round, 122nd overall |
Selections by School - 2023 NFL Draft
- Oregon - 6
- Stanford - 5
- UCLA - 4
- USC - 4
- Utah - 3
- Oregon State - 2
- Arizona State - 1
- California - 1
- Washington State - 1
| Player | School | Round / Pick | NFL Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Gonzalez, CB |  |
1 / 17 |  |
| Jordan Addison, WR |  |
1 / 23 |  |
| Dalton Kincaid, TE |  |
1 / 25 |  |
| Luke Musgrave, TE |  |
2 / 42 |  |
| Zach Charbonnet, RB |  |
2 / 52 |  |
| Tuli Tuipulotu, DE | |
2 / 54 |  |
| DJ Johnson, LB | |
3 / 80 |  |
| Daiyan Henley, LB |  |
3 / 85 | |
| Michael Wilson, WR |  |
3 / 94 |  |
| Mekhi Blackmon, CB | |
3 / 102 | |
| Clark Phillips III, CB | |
4 / 113 |  |
| Braeden Daniels, OL | |
4 / 118 |  |
| Jon Gaines II, OL | |
4 / 122 | |
| Dorian Thompson-Robinson, QB | |
5 / 140 |  |
| Atonio Mafi, OL | |
5 / 144 | |
| Noah Sewell, LB | |
5 / 148 |  |
| Kyu Blu Kelly, CB | |
5 / 157 |  |
| Daniel Scott, S |  |
5 / 158 |  |
| Tanner McKee, QB | |
6 / 188 |  |
| Elijah Higgins, WR | |
6 / 197 |  |
| Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, OL | |
6 / 199 | |
| Andrew Vorhees, OL | |
7 / 229 | |
| Nesta Jade Silvera, DL |  |
7 / 231 |  |
| Jordon Riley, DL | |
7 / 243 |  |
| Alex Austin, CB | |
7 / 252 | |
| Alex Forsyth, OL | |
7 / 257 |  |
| Kendall Williamson, DB | |
7 / 258 | |