LAFAYETTE — Louisiana linebacker Jaden Dugger received a life-changing call Saturday when the San Francisco 49ers selected him in the fifth round of the NFL Draft.
The Pittsburgh native is coming off the best season of his career in 2025, leading the Ragin’ Cajuns with 125 tackles in 13 starts. His performance earned him first-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors.
Dugger said he will report to rookie minicamp next week, where he is scheduled to begin learning the playbook May 8-9.
For Dugger, hearing his name called on draft day was a moment he is still processing.
“I mean it was crazy, to be honest,” Dugger said. “I wasn’t really expecting to go to San Fran throughout the whole process because that was one of the quietest teams with me. But I was just blessed. As soon as I got the call, I didn’t know what to do. It didn’t feel real. I feel like once I get there, it’ll start to feel like I’m really in the NFL. But right now, it’s just so surreal. It’s crazy.”
Dugger is the first Ragin' Cajun to be drafted since the Dallas Cowboys took Nathan Thomas in the seventh round in 2024.
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