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Pac-12 Football: Why DeForest Buckner is league’s best draft prospect

By Gabe Encinas

Feb 26, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon defensive lineman Defo Buckner speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 26, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon defensive lineman Defo Buckner speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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The combination of DeForest Buckner’s size, speed and strength, to go along with the NFL’s evolving defenses makes him the most valuable Pac-12 NFL Draft prospect.

This past NFL season, we saw that defense wins championships, led by the premier pass rushers of the Denver Broncos, including Super Bowl MVP Von Miller.

The NFL is starting to respond to the faster, spread offenses of the league. Some teams are going with a 3-3-5 situational package, having a safety come up and play linebacker, or moving defensive ends to outside linebackers, giving them more versatility on the edge.

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This draft class is filled with talented pass rushers, but the Denver Broncos might have proved that their formula works, giving pass rushers a boost in this year’s draft. This bodes well for a guy like DeForest Buckner, 6-7 281-pound defensive end out of Oregon. He just has the frame, strength and finesse you want out of a premier pass rusher in this league.

Now, the Ducks had a historically bad season defensively, but Buckner proved to be the anchor, earning himself Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors. As a senior, he finished with 83 tackles, 17 for a loss and 10.5 sacks. Insane numbers coming from a defensive end, playing a pass-heavy conference.

Having Buckner as the most valuable prospect shouldn’t diminish California’s Jared Goff or UCLA’s Myles Jack, both are outstanding talents and can find themselves a home in the NFL, holding onto a very long career. Goff comes in, who could be the cornerstone of a franchise for years to come, but some think his smaller hands are a concern.

Jack is fully healed and scouts are really started to get back on the hype train. As mentioned above, the NFL is adapting to offenses now, needing more speed and versatility. Jack fits the bill, being able to play all linebacker positions and even at safety, embracing a Kam Chancellor-type style.

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The top three Pac-12 prospects are great picks and could be perennial Pro Bowlers should they go to the right franchise. But with the state of the NFL, and the success of Denver with their defensive pressure, taking DeForest Buckner in the top five seems to be a no-brainer for any team.

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