Oregon Ducks star center Iapani Laloulu has received a bold draft projection.
Oregon Ducks star Iapani Laloulu is one of the top interior offensive linemen heading into the 2026 season.
In Dane Brugler of The Athletic's early 2027 NFL Mock Draft, he has Laloulu landing with the San Francisco 49ers with the 27th overall pick.
Laloulu appeared in all 14 games as a freshman, playing snaps at left guard, right guard, and center. He was a productive lineman again for the Ducks in his sophomore campaign, starting two games at right guard and 12 at center.
In the 2025 season, Laloulu started all 15 games for Oregon and was a Rimington Trophy finalist, which is the award for the top center in the nation.
Laloulu's steadiness on the Ducks' offensive line was pivotal on their deep run to the College Football Playoff Semifinal. He provided great protection for quarterback Dante Moore, who will also be back for the 2026 season.
Robert Hanashiro-Imagn ImagesMoore had an incredible year, completing 71.8 percent of his passes for 3,565 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while rushing for 156 yards and two touchdowns.
Keeping Moore protected in the pocket will be key to Oregon winning the first National Championship in school history.
The run game was also effective behind Laloulu and the Ducks' offensive line. Noah Whittington rushed for 829 yards and six touchdowns on 129 carries, while Jordon Davison added 667 yards and 15 touchdowns on 113 carries.
Dierre Hill Jr. also had an impact for Oregon on the ground, rushing for 656 yards and five touchdowns on 75 carries.
The Ducks will need their run game to be effective once again to help Moore have a Heisman-level season. However, it starts with how the offense performs, and Laloulu is the leader of that unit.
Laloulu's positional versatility to play both center and guard at a high level makes him an intriguing prospect for the 2027 NFL Draft.
Two of their offensive linemen were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, as Emmanuel Pregnon went in the third round to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Alex Harkey to the Los Angeles Chargers in the sixth round.
Laloulu could be the next Duck offensive linemen to be selected and has the talent to be a first-round pick.
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