After entering college as an unheralded recruit, Emmanuel Pregnon has boosted his profile over the past two years. Steph Chambers / Getty Images
The Athletic has live coverage of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Oregon guard Emmanuel Pregnon in the third round with the 88th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday.
Pregnon didn’t even receive a recruiting ranking from 247Sports before starting his college career at Wyoming in 2020. He started 11 games during the 2022 season and transferred to USC the following spring. It took a little while for Pregnon to find his groove with the Trojans: He didn’t start the first game of that season but settled in midway through the campaign. In 2024, Pregnon started every game at left guard and routinely opened holes for a running attack that averaged 5.16 yards per game, which ranked No. 21 among Football Bowl Subdivision programs. He didn’t allow a sack that season, either.
Amid questions of whether he would go pro or return to USC for the 2025 season, Pregnon instead transferred to Oregon, where he continued to elevate his play. He was a first-team All-Big Ten performer for a Ducks squad that reached the College Football Playoff, giving up just one sack and playing a key role for a top-15 rushing attack.
‘The Beast’ breakdown
Pregnon ranked No. 57 in Dane Brugler’s top 300 big board. Here’s what Brugler had to say about him in his annual NFL Draft guide:
“Pregnon checks the boxes for size, power and competitive demeanor that NFL teams — specifically, those running gap schemes — look for in a starting guard. His profile is reminiscent of a more explosive O’Cyrus Torrence, and his draft projection should be similar.”
Come back later for more analysis of Pregnon.
Connections: Sports Edition
Spot the pattern. Connect the terms
Find the hidden link between sports terms
Play today’s puzzle
