The Oregon Ducks and head coach Dan Lanning may have found their next Bo Nix.
Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks have become a pipeline for NFL talent. Plenty of high-profile players have gone on to find success playing on Sunday's, with Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix being one of the headline names.
Nix played for the Ducks in 2022 and 2023. He was a star for the Oregon offense and ended up being selected by the Broncos with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
In 2022, the standout quarterback threw for 3,593 yards, 29 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He improved those numbers in 2023, throwing for 4,508 yards, 45 touchdowns, and three interceptions, while completing 77.4 percent of his passes.
Heading into the 2026 college football season, the Ducks have another standout quarterback leading the way in Dante Moore. He is expected to be a top-10 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft next offseason.
Who will Oregon have under center when Moore moves on? That will be a question worth monitoring.
One intriguing name to keep a close eye on is a player currently committed to the Ducks in their 2027 recruiting class. Will Mencl, a four-star quarterback from Chandler, Arizona, seems to have a very bright future ahead of him.
It's possible that Oregon has found its next Nix.
Rivals has compared Mencl to Nix. They believe that the young quarterbacks compares favorably to the former Ducks star.
"Will Mencl's accuracy, rushing ability, production on Friday nights, and size make him a high-floor prospect, reminiscent of Bo Nix," Rivals wrote.
"Like Nix, Mencl is a well-rounded productive quarterback. Both were accurate and able to layer and locate throws at a high level. Neither tout an overwhelming arm, but are able to generate enough velocity. Mencl is a bit bigger-framed at the same stage."
During the 2025 high school season at Chandler, Mencl threw for 3,815 yards, 33 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He has legitimate star potential at the college level.
Finding another quarterback capable of producing like Nix did would be huge for Lanning and Oregon. Mencl still has a lot of work to do to rise to that level, but the talent is there and the comparisons are now being made.
