Five Most Surprising Oregon Ducks From The Regular Season

After earning an 11-1 record and their second straight College Football Playoff berth this season, the Oregon Ducks saw a lot of unknown talent break into the limelight. Here are five of the most surprising Ducks from the 2025 regular season.

Nov 8, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive lineman A'Mauri Washington (52) reacts with fans after the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The Oregon Ducks battled their way through the regular season to a 11-1 record and a berth in the College Football Playoff. During the year, the Ducks saw many relative unknowns become household names.

Here's a list of the five biggest surprise from Oregon's roster this season.

Jordon Davison

Oregon running back Jordon Davison walks the field before the game as the Oregon Ducks host the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Nov. 14, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

During fall camp, the Ducks' running back room looked like the one of the most crowded position rooms on the team. Just a few games into the year, it became apparent what the pecking order was going to look like.

Jordon Davison burst out onto the scene as a true freshman to become the team's short-yardage back, and he has since earned a significant role within the offense over the course of the season. He finished his regular season with 88 carries for 535 yards and 13 touchdowns.

If Oregon wants to be able to make a deep run in the CFP, they will need to rely on a strong run game and that starts with getting the most out of their budding freshman star in Davison.

A'Mauri Washington

Coming into the season, A'Mauri Washington was seen as an underrated piece along Oregon's defensive line after largely playing in the shadow of 2025 first-round pick Derrick Harmon. However, the junior defensive lineman has quickly popped on tape as one of Oregon's best defenders this season.

Washington is well-received in the draft community and could potentially become a first-round pick if he continues to flash in the CFP. On the season, he has 29 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

Dierre Hill Jr.

Sep 27, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Dierre Hill Jr. (23) runs for a gain after breaking a tackle by Penn State Nittany Lions cornerback Zion Tracy (7) during the third quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images | James Lang-Imagn Images

Davison isn't the only true freshman running back to star for the Ducks this season. Dierre Hill Jr. is a home run threat with the ball and has the potential to score nearly every carry. He is just that kind of athlete.

With Noah Whittington and Davison in the backfield, carries can get scarce, but Hill manages to make the most of his opportunities. Hill has ran for 481 yards and four touchdowns on 59 carries.

Oregon should be set at the running back position for the next few seasons with Davison and Hill barring any transfers.

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Malik Benson

Oregon’s Malik Benson, right, break the Southern California coverage on a punt return on his way to a first-half touchdown Nov. 22, 2025. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In his first season with the Ducks, Malik Benson has managed to stand out as a reliable weapon for quarterback Dante Moore amidst a rash of injuries that have affected the wide receiver's group late in the year. The Florida State wide receiver transfer is Oregon's leading receiver heading into the CFP.

Benson ended his first regular season at Oregon with 31 catches for 526 yards and four touchdowns. He was forced to step up into a bigger role when Dakorien Moore went down with an knee injury that cost him the final month of the season.

Brandon Finney Jr.

A 12-game starter as a true freshman for the one of the top teams in the country. That's what Brandon Finney Jr. did at cornerback for Oregon. He beat out some returnees and newcomers like Sione Laulea and Theran Johnson to earn the starting job at the beginning of the year and he never looked back.

In his first year as a starter, Finney recorded 29 tackles, seven pass deflections, and one interception. There haven't been many true freshman starters under coach Dan Lanning, making Finney a special talent.