Where did DeForest Buckner go to college? Did DeForest Buckner play college football?
Sarah Rodriguez
Updated on January 13, 2026
DeForest George Buckner, an American football defensive tackle with the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League, was born on March 17, 1994. (NFL). In the 2016 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers selected Buckner with the seventh overall pick. He joined Arik Armstead, who the 49ers took 17th overall in 2015, as the second Oregon defensive end taken in the first round in a row. They later selected Solomon Thomas, a defensive end from the Pac-12, in the 2017 draft.
Where did DeForest Buckner go to college? Did DeForest Buckner play college football?
He attended the University of Oregon for his collegiate football career, and the San Francisco 49ers selected him in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft. 2019 saw Buckner selected to the second team of the All-Pro Pro Bowl while playing for the 49ers. He was chosen for the Colts’ first-team All-Pro team in 2020, and the following year, he made the Pro Bowl.
As a true freshman in 2012, Buckner participated in all 13 games and made two starts. He recorded 29 tackles, 2.5 for a loss, and one sack by the time his rookie season was over. In 2013, Buckner was a sophomore who started eight of the team’s 13 games and racked up 39 tackles, 3.5 for a loss, and 2.5 sacks. He recorded 81 tackles, 13 for a loss, and 4.0 sacks as a junior in 2014. Although Buckner was projected to be a first-round pick in the NFL Draft, he opted to stay for his senior year in order to graduate and raise his draft stock.