The Most Slept True Freshman for the Oregon Ducks

There are many Oregon Ducks prospects set to have a bright future from the class of 2026, but it is safe to say that there is one player from the class who is the most slept on.

The Most Slept On Freshman on Oregon Football's Roster

Oregon Ducks recruiting class of 2026 college football linebacker jerry mixon Braylon Hodge devon jackson dan lanning eugene — Oregon football coach Dan Lanning introduces the song “Shout” during the Ducks' game against Oregon State at Jane Sanders Stadium in Eugene April 22, 2026. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The most slept on freshman joining the Oregon Ducks for their first college football season in 2026 is four-star linebacker freshman Braylon Hodge. Hodge is one of the players the Ducks were able to flip away from a program in the 2026 class, as they were able to flip Hodge away from the Michigan State Spartans, with whom Hodge was expected to hold a day-one position.

While Hodge may not see the field much in his first year, there is no doubt that he will be a future starter, or of that caliber, with the Ducks if he remains with the program. Hodge is by far one of the more gifted linebackers in the class of 2026, as he has true potential to be the next great Oregon linebacker.

Hodge is a Mike linebacker with the chance of having the green dot at some point with the Oregon Ducks. What this means is he will have the chance to be the defensive signal caller on the field and be the player who is ultimately viewed as the captain.

More often than not, it is given to a linebacker, considering they are in the middle level of the defense, and have the best chance of spotting everything that happens, and with Hodge's intelligence, the sky is the limit for communication.

More on Braylon Hodge and His Future

Hodge is a rangy linebacker who is at his best when asked to cover the ground that needs to be covered. He is a solid pass coverage linebacker, but he is one of the more sure-tackling linebackers entering college football for the first time this season. Last season, to close his high school career, Hodge finished with over 100 tackles (finished with 111) as well as one interception.

One of the things that the Ducks need to utilize him in immediately is special teams, due to his great pursuit, and his solid speed for his size. He has great potential to be a superstar on special teams, and if that ends up being the case, he very well could see the field on defense later in the year.

Hodge's path to the field won't be easy in year one, but he will still have the chance to earn his spot. He will have to battle with many of the best linebackers on the team to show that he is deserving of playing time. Some of the players he will be competing with include redshirt-senior linebacker Devon Jackson, senior linebacker Jerry Mixon, and many others.

Even if the talented prospect doesn't see the field in year one, he is still one of most underrated prospect in the class.

He wasn't in any talks when being considered as the best player in the class for the Ducks and is often overlooked, because he was very under the radar despite his rankings. His production and long-term position make the decision to label him as the most slept on recruit in the class a no-brainer.

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