Evan Stewart Identifies Oregon Freshman Receiver Making an Early Push

The Oregon Ducks are loaded with talent at wide receiver and true freshman Messiah Hampton has turned the head of senior Evan Stewart who called him a "workhorse."

oregon ducks receiver evan stewart | oregon ducks on si jake bunn

EUGENE - Oregon Ducks freshman receiver Messiah Hampton wasted little time before introducing himself to Ducks fans. One of the biggest standouts from the Oregon football spring game, Hampton flashed the speed and contested-catch ability that made him the top-ranked recruit in New York.

Hampton now faces the challenge of carving out a role in one of the deepest receiver rooms in college football for the No. 2 Ducks. His place on the depth chart remains uncertain, but his growth behind the scenes has already earned the attention of senior receiver Evan Stewart.

Oregon Ducks receiver Evan Stewart during fall camp | Bri Amaranthus / Oregon Ducks on SI

Evan Stewart Gets Real About Freshman Receiver Messiah Hampton

“He’s maturing a lot,” Stewart said. “I mean, I already knew he was kind of gonna be a good player for us in the spring, coming early in winter workouts. Him and Hudson Lewis, they’re like a dynamic duo. They work together, like they’re workhorses for sure.”

In a freshman class that contains 5-star receivers Jalen Lott and Gatlin Bair, Stewart highlighting the 4-star Hampton and 3-star Lewis is notable. It sounds like Lewis and Hampton are pushing each other as the 2026 football season inches closer and closer.

Stewart described how Hampton’s mental approach helped the freshman to continue building on his exciting spring.

Monroe star wide receiver Messiah Hampton celebrates on the field following the Red Jackets win over Sleepy Hollow during the NYSPHSAA Class B championship final Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025 at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse. | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Messiah just then came in and put down his head and worked every single day,” Stewart continued. “And from my understanding, him and Coach Ross (Douglas) have always had a good relationship, dating back to when he was at Syracuse... Coach Ross has been a good, good person this year to keep his development going.”

When Hampton committed to Oregon back in June of 2025, he immediately credited wide receivers coach Ross Douglas as a big reason why he picked the Ducks.

"Coach Douglas. He came from Syracuse, we built a great bond. He poured into my development," Hampton said.

Douglas was Hampton’s lead recruiter at Syracuse joining coach Dan Lanning's Oregon staff. Hampton is from Rochester, about 90 minutes from Syracuse, and the two had already built a strong relationship.

Oregon wide receivers coach Ross Douglas works with players during Oregon’s spring game on April 26, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Dan Lanning Noticing Messiah Hampton

Stewart is not the only voice inside Oregon’s program impressed by Hampton’s growth. Lanning said the freshman recently put together an especially strong week.

“I think for anybody at any position, Messiah included, the separation factor is just simply what you do on the field, right?” Lanning said. “It’s for the other 10 guys on the field to trust you. You’re going to be in there. You’re going to make plays.”

After Hampton impressed with a 33-yard grab from quarterback Dylan Raiola in the spring game... Highlights of Hampton during Oregon fall camp have turned heads as well. The video below shows Hampton's strong hands in traffic as he fights for yards after the catch.

Messiah Hampton looks ready to contribute early pic.twitter.com/UVWPJxjbHz

— Eric Hovland (@EricJHovland) August 23, 2026

Oregon Ducks Depth At Receiver

Hampton, Lewis, Lott and Bair are freshman receivers to keep an eye on to contribute early, as well as incoming transfer reciever Iverson Hooks. The Ducks have veterans in Stewart, Dakorien Moore and Jeremiah McClellan as potential threats for quarterback Dante Moore.

It's expected that Stewart, McClellan and Moore will start - in what could be a "three-headed monster" for the Ducks but the depth behind the returners is an exciting storyline.

oregon ducks evan stewart | oregon ducks on si jake bunn

The 6-1, 190-pound Hampton knows how to win. As a senior, he helped James Monroe to an 12-0 record and the school's first ever state title in the New York State Class B Championship.

He finished as his team’s all-time leader in receiving yards with 2,300. In Hampton’s senior year alone, he totaled 1,224 receiving yards with 13 touchdowns and averaged an outstanding 102 receiving yards per game. He also added four rushing touchdowns and ran for 289 yards.

Hampton lined up on both sides of the ball, playing wide receiver and free safety... and was a two-sport athlete at James Monroe High School, also running track and field.

Nov 14, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning high fives fans before a game between the Oregon Ducks and the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Stewart was witnessed a maturing workhorse, Lanning sees a young player beginning to earn his teammates’ trust and Douglas has been invested in Hampton’s development since well before either arrived in Eugene.

All signs point to Hampton making a legitimate push as a contributor in what could be an electric offense at Oregon.

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