Oregon Ducks Battling Ohio State for Most Talent in Preseason All-Big Ten Teams

The Oregon Ducks may have the most talented team in the Big Ten entering 2026.

While the conference has typically been dominated by the likes of Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan, Oregon has tied the Buckeyes with the most players on the first team Big Ten offense and defense, according to The Athletic's Scott Dochterman.

Oregon Ducks Ohio State Buckeyes all big ten team preseason julian sayin dante moore dan lanning jeremiah smith koi perich — Oregon defensive back Ify Obidegwu, left, defensive back Brandon Finney Jr. and inside linebacker Jerry Mixon celebrate an interception by Finney as the Oregon Ducks take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Oregon Ducks Shine on Preseason All-Conference Teams

The five Ducks that made the cut are tight end Jamari Johnson, center Iapani "Poncho" Laloulu, defensive tackle A'Mauri Washington, cornerback Brandon Finney, and safety Koi Perich. Meanwhile, the five Ohio State players on the first team are quarterback Julian Sayin, running back Bo Jackson, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, linebacker Payton Pierce, and safety Jaylen McClain.

Other Oregon players were represented on the second team like quarterback Dante Moore, defensive linemen Matayo Uiagalelei, Teitum Tuioti, and Bear Alexander. The Ducks that made the third team include running back Jordon Davison, wide receivers Evan Stewart and Dakorien Moore, and offensive lineman Dave Iuli.

The Ducks had a total of 13 players on all three teams, the most in the entire conference, signaling that Oregon coach Dan Lanning has built the most talented team in the conference, at least according to The Athletic.

Ohio State had 11 players on all three teams while Indiana was represented with nine Hoosiers.

Big Ten Preseason First Team

Offense:

Quarterback: Julian Sayin, Ohio State
Running back: Bo Jackson, Ohio State
Running back: Antwan Raymond, Rutgers
Wide receiver: Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
Wide receiver: KJ Duff, Rutgers
Wide receiver: Charlie Becker, Indiana
Tight end: Jamari Johnson, Oregon
Offensive tackle: Carter Smith, Indiana
Offensive tackle: Trevor Lauck, Iowa
Interior offensive lineman: Kade Pieper, Iowa
Interior offensive lineman: Justin Evans, Nebraska
Interior offensive lineman: Iapani Laloulu, Oregon

Defense

Defensive end: Anthony Smith, Minnesota
Defensive end: John Henry Daley, Michigan
Defensive tackle: A'Mauri Washington, Oregon
Defensive tackle: Tyrique Tucker, Indiana
Linebacker: Rolijah Hardy, Indiana
Linebacker: Payton Pierce, Ohio State
Linebacker: Isaiah Jones, Indiana
Cornerback: Brandon Finney, Oregon
Cornerback: Jontez Williams, USC
Defensive back: Zach Lutmer, Iowa
Safety: Koi Perich, Oregon
Safety: Jaylen McClain, Ohio State

Reactions to The Athletic's Preseason Big Ten Teams

The biggest decision was likely putting Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin in over Oregon quarterback Dante Moore. Sayin was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2025, and while Moore is considered a top prospect for the 2027 NFL Draft, his top competition could be Sayin.

While the two quarterbacks won't directly square off against each other, there will be a duel between Sayin and Moore as Ohio State hosts Oregon on Nov. 7.

Oregon receiver Evan Stewart is an unknown commodity after his injury, and Ducks receiver Dakorien Moore has some room to grow after a breakout freshman season. As a result, both of them were on the third team, even if that feels a little low.

The inclusion of Ducks offensive lineman Dave Iuli feels like a deserved honor and may give some Oregon fans feelings of relief about the Ducks offensive line heading into 2026.

On the other side of the ball, the inclusion of Oregon defensive tackle A'Mauri Washington, cornerback Brandon Finney, and safety Koi Perich all make sense, and Ducks fans are likely not surprised by the rest of Oregon's defensive line filling up the second team.

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