Wide Receiver
This position group was expected to be led by Evan Stewart. Unfortunately, Stewart has suffered a potentially season-ending injury. Stewart was the leader in returning production after posting 613 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2024.
Oregon has a few upper-class options in Gary Bryant Jr, Kyler Kasper, Justius Lowe, and Malik Benson. However, this group does lack production. Bryant Jr has totaled 1,099 yards across 5 seasons. Kasper has 3 receptions over the last 2 seasons. Lowe produced 203 yards last season. Benson has 473 yards across 2 seasons.
The presumed #1 target for this passing game will be true freshman Dakorien Moore. Moore was ranked as the #1 wide receiver prospect in the 247 Sports’ Composite Rankings for the 2025 recruiting class.
Other options will include former 5-star Jurrion Dickey and former top-100 recruit Jeremiah McClellan. Both Dicky and McClellan had minimal production in 2024.
Offensive Line
The Ducks’ offensive line returns one starter from 2024. To fill in the starting roles, Dan Lanning brought in 3 projected starters from the transfer portal.
Projected starting left tackle is Isaiah World. While being rated as a 5-star transfer, World will face a major jump in competition after transferring from Nevada. Emmanuel Pregnon and Alex Harkey are the projected starters at left guard and right tackle. Pregnon is coming off a stellar season at USC. Harkey graded well on PFF, but his jump from Texas State to the Big 10 will undoubtedly bring challenges.
The Ducks return starting center Iapani Laloulu. At right guard, Oregon will presumably be starting Matthew Bedford, who appeared in only one game last season because of injury.
Oregon’s transfers bring talent to the offensive line room, but they also face the challenge of coming together as a cohesive unit. Four new starters will need to gel with a new starting quarterback.
Interior Defensive Line
Oregon is replacing Derrick Harmon and Jamaree Caldwell, who were selected in the 1st and 3rd rounds of the NFL Draft.
Replacing these two players are projected starters A’mauri Washington and Bear Alexander. Washington has been at Oregon for 2 seasons and has totaled 12 tackles. Alexander is coming off a season at USC in which he only appeared in three games, utilizing a redshirt season. Oregon will need Alexander to return to his sophomore form when he totaled 48 tackles.
Behind Washington and Alexander are three blue-chip recruits in Terrance Green, Aydin Breeland, and Jericho Johnson. While this is a talented trio, they combine for a total of only four career tackles.
While talented, the inexperience of this group, outside of Bear Alexander, raises questions about this unit heading into the 2025 season.
Quarterback
Oregon will be looking to replace Dillon Gabriel, who gave the Ducks a Heisman finalist season in 2024. Gabriel threw for 3,857 yards and 30 touchdowns while also rushing for another 7 touchdowns.
Replacing Gabriel will almost assuredly be redshirt sophomore Dante Moore. Moore utilized his redshirt season last year to sit and learn behind Gabriel.
As a true freshman at UCLA in 2023, Moore posted 1,610 yards, 11 TDs, and 9 INTs through 9 games. Moore was the #4 overall recruit in the 2023 class and the #10 overall player in the 2024 transfer portal rankings.
After taking a unique step backward from starter to backup, Dante Moore is looking to officially make his mark on college football.
