Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Andrew Vorhees highlight group of UCLA, USC players taken on final day of NFL Draft
The 2023 NFL Draft wrapped up on Saturday after three days full of excitement in Kansas City, where hundreds of football players saw their dreams of turning professional come true.
Over the three days, both USC and UCLA saw four of their prospective players get selected, with Trojans' wide receiver Jordan Addison leading the charge with his First Round selection Thursday evening, when the Minnesota Vikings took him No. 23 overall.
USC had two more players taken Friday, while UCLA had their first selection of the draft as running back Zach Charbonnet was selected No. 52 overall by the Seattle Seahawks. USC defensive lineman Tuli Tuipulotu (No. 54 by the Los Angeles Chargers) and defensive back Mekhi Blackmon (No. 102 by the Minnesota Vikings) rounded out the local picks.
Related: Chargers, Rams bolster rosters with Day 3 picks of 2023 NFL Draft; take standout QBs Bennett, Duggan
On Saturday, as all 32 NFL teams got to work bolstering their rosters with Rounds 4 to 7 of the draft, four more USC and UCLA players were selected.
UCLA offensive lineman Jon Gaines II was the first taken off the board, when he was selected in the fourth round, No. 122 overall, by the Arizona Cardinals.
In the next round, standout quarterback and phenom athlete Dorian Thompson-Robinson finally had his name called, when he was picked with the 140th pick by the Cleveland Browns, pairing him back up with fellow Bruin Demetric Felton -- who was drafted in 2021.
Thompson Robinson was a two-time Second-Team All-Pac 12 quarterback who amassed 10,695 yards and 88 touchdowns passing on 860 completions. He also ran for 1,827 yards and 28 touchdowns, making him the team's leading passer in yards and touchdowns, as well as total yards and total touchdowns for any Bruin all-time. He also ranks No. 8 in total rushing TDs.
Yet another UCLA player was taken in the fifth round, offensive lineman Atonio Mafi, who was taken No. 144 overall by the New England Patriots.
Related: SoCal football standouts Bryce Young, CJ Stroud taken as the first two picks in NFL Draft
The final local player to have their name called was USC's Andrew Vorhees, who wowed scouts with his raw power at the NFL Combine, when he benched 225 pounds for 38 reps -- the most by any player this year. He was originally slated to be an early-round pick, but saw his position slip after he tore his ACL during a drill at the combine.
Vorhees was a First-Team All-American and First-Team All-Pac 12 player in 2022, also earning the Morris Trophy -- which is given to the best offensive and defensive linemen in the Pac 12 every season.
In all, USC and UCLA had a slew of prospects achieve their dreams and make their way to the NFL:
USC Trojans
- Round 1, No. 23: wide receiver Jordan Addison selected by Minnesota Vikings
- Round 2, No. 54: defensive lineman Tuli Tuipulotu selected by Los Angeles Chargers
- Round 3, No. 102: defensive back Mekhi Blackmon selected by Minnesota Vikings
- Round 7, No. 229: offensive lineman Andrew Vorhees selected by Baltimore Ravens
UCLA Bruins
- Round 2, No. 52: running back Zach Charbonnet selected by Seattle Seahawks
- Round 4, No. 122: offensive lineman Jon Gaines II selected by Arizona Cardinals
- Round 5, No. 130: quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson selected by Cleveland Browns
- Round 5, No. 144: offensive lineman Atonio Mafi selected by New England Patriots
