Oregon
Three Oregon Ducks Who Could Declare Early for the 2027 NFL Draft
The Oregon Ducks saw seven prospects picked in the 2026 NFL Draft, headlined by tight end Kenyon Sadiq and safety Dillon Thieneman in the first round.
It’s never too early to start talking about the 2027 NFL Draft, and Oregon has a few underclassmen who could declare early for the draft, joining an already deep draft class out of Eugene led by quarterback Dante Moore.
Jamari Johnson
After former Oregon star Kenyon Sadiq was drafted as the first tight end in the 2026 NFL Draft with the No. 16 overall pick, many believe the Ducks have college football’s next best tight end already on the roster.
With Ducks tight end Jamari Johnson already receiving recognition as the top tight end prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft, he’s likely only spending one more year in Eugene. Johnson flashed as a receiver during his first season at Oregon, and the expectations have only risen for 2026.
Alongside Sadiq, Johnson totaled 32 catches for 510 yards and three touchdowns last season. After a season as the top tight end in Oregon’s offense, Johnson is expected to become the third Ducks tight end drafted in three consecutive years following Sadiq and Terrance Ferguson.
Koi Perich
Former Minnesota safety transferred to Oregon in the offseason and immediately received comparisons to former Ducks safety Dillon Thieneman, who started his career with Purdue before transferring and becoming a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
While Oregon fans certainly hope that Perich follows in Thieneman’s footsteps, the Chicago Bears’ first-round pick set the bar high.
Perich enters the Ducks defense expected to be an immediate contributor after earning freshman All-American honors (like Thieneman did at Purdue). The newest Oregon safety totaled 128 combined tackles, six interceptions, five pass breakups, and two forced fumbles in two seasons with Minnesota.
If he can produce at a similar level in Oregon’s defense, the NFL could come calling early for Perich.
Jeremiah McClellan
Maybe a bit of a surprise pick here, but McClellan will be eligible to declare for the 2027 NFL Draft after his redshirt sophomore season. The headlining receiver in 2027 will no doubt be Ohio State star Jeremiah Smith, but McClellan could play his way into the NFL Draft.
McClellan is not projected as an early-round draft pick, especially entering a year in Oregon’s offense that features fellow receivers Evan Stewart and Dakorien Moore.
Still, McClellan stepped up when the Ducks were thin at receiver in 2025, and another strong season from the Oregon pass catcher could boost his NFL Draft stock high enough. He finished the year with 38 catches for 557 yards and three touchdowns, not to mention his uncanny ability for acrobatic, highlight receptions.
McClellan did miss Oregon’s spring game on Saturday with an undisclosed injury, though, so he’s far from a lock to declare early for the NFL Draft.
Especially considering the Ducks’ ability to retain players under Lanning, McClellan could very well play multiple years at Oregon after 2026. However, another break out season, and it could be his last in Eugene.
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PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) – Fireworks are on sale in Oregon until July 6, but state and local rules limit where they can be used and what types are allowed.
In Portland, fireworks use and sales are banned year-round.
Fireworks are also banned on beaches and in state and national parks.
Statewide, fireworks that fly into the air, explode, act unpredictably or move more than 12 feet horizontally are illegal. Banned fireworks include sky lanterns, missiles, rockets, Roman candles, firecrackers, cherry bombs and M-80s.
Fountains, sparklers, ground spinners and smoke devices are among the fireworks allowed under state rules.
Officials said people should not call 911 to report illegal fireworks. They said reports should go to the non-emergency line for the area.
First responders said there were 263 fires across Portland during last year’s fireworks season, and 27 were caused by fireworks.
For more details about fireworks regulation in Oregon, click here.
In Washington, fireworks sales legally begin Sunday and run through July 4.
Copyright 2026 KPTV-KPDX. All rights reserved.
GEARHART, Ore. (KATU) — Another gray whale washed up on the Oregon coast last week, this time in Gearhart, according to Seaside Aquarium.
The 41-foot-long male had been dead for months before washing up on the beach, Seaside Aquarium general manager Keith Chandler said.
He noted that there have been 19 total whale strandings or carcasses washing up on beaches just this year on the Oregon coast region.
The Cascadia Research Collective is reporting at least 30 on Washington coastline alone. | TIMELINE
Of those deaths, more than half were at least partially attributed to malnutrition. That could have been the cause in more strandings, however, necropsies were not performed in roughly a dozen of the 30 strandings.
Chandler said strong wind from the west this year has been contributing to why coastal towns are seeing a lot of whales and other things washing up on shore. However he also noted that many of the Grey whales washed ashore were emaciated with necropsies showing signs of malnourishment.
“The food sources have been compromised. The warmer water means the nutrients that they’re getting aren’t as good, so the whole food chain is kind of not as healthy,” Chandler said.
He pointed to the warming waters with climate change as the main reason noting that warm water plankton–Grey Whale’s main food source–is thinner and has fewer nutrients than plankton in cooler waters.
Chandler says this whale will not have a necropsy done because of its level of decomposition.
“The fresher ones, the team from Portland State [University] will come down and they’ll go in and do measurements, take samples and stuff, measurements of the internal organs. But on one this decayed, you won’t gain anything from it scientifically. And it’s just kind of a mess to do when they’re this rotten,” he said.
KATU VAULT | The Exploding Whale of 1970: ‘Should a whale ever wash ashore again’
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You can report a whale stranding to the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network Hotline by calling 1-866-767-6114.
SALEM, OR — Gov. Tina Kotek announced today that she will appoint Nathan J. Lichvarcik to the Lane County Circuit Court bench, filling a vacancy created by the upcoming resignation of Judge Debra K. Vogt.
Lichvarcik’s appointment is effective Aug. 1, 2026.
Lichvarcik is a criminal law attorney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He has worked in the office’s Eugene branch for the past 14 years and has served as branch supervisor for the Eugene and Medford offices since 2020.
He has also taught Trial Advocacy at the University of Oregon Law School for the past 10 years.
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