Oregon Wide Receiver Evan Stewart Gets Honest About Plans for Next Season

Oregon Ducks wide receiver Evan Stewart has yet to play this season and will be faced with some tough decisions once the College Football Playoff is over.
Oregon Ducks wide receiver Evan Stewart
Oregon Ducks wide receiver Evan Stewart | oregon ducks on si jake bunn

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The Oregon Ducks are still alive in the College Football Playoff, hoping to end things off with a National Championship.

Oregon will face the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the CFP Quarterfinals at the Orange Bowl on Thursday, but if the season were to end there, the Ducks would immediately be faced with tons of roster questions headed into the offseason.

Oregon Wide Receiver Evan Stewart Going Pro?

Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart
Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart walks the field during warmups as the Oregon Ducks face the Ohio State Buckeyes Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in the quarterfinal of the College Football Playoff at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While the decision of Oregon quarterback Dante Moore will draw most of the headlines, other players on offense will also be faced with tough choices about whether to stay in Eugene, hit the transfer portal or declare for the 2026 NFL Draft.

This includes Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart, who has yet to play this season after suffering a torn patella tendon during the fall. He has already been ruled out for the Orange Bowl against Texas Tech in Miami on Thursday, and it appears unlikely that he will be active if Oregon advances further into the College Football Playoff.

Considering that he has been sidelined the entire season, the expecation is that Stewart could utlize his redshirt and return to Oregon in 2026.

MORE: Oregon Ducks Injury Update From Practice Highlights One Major Absence

MORE: Texas Tech Defensive Coordinator Shares Blunt Assessment of Dante Moore

MORE: Oregon Quarterback Austin Novosad's Likely Landing Spot After Transfer Portal Entry

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However, while speaking with the media on Tuesday, Stewart admitted that the NFL is still very much on his radar once this season comes to a close.

"In my honest opinion, I could (go to the NFL," Stewart said, per Erik Skopil of 247Sports. "Just going off of athletic capabilities, testing and stuff like that, of course. If we're being honest I do see myself in college for another year. I haven't really thought about too much though."

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore
Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore during warmups before the game against the Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Evan Stewart Wants to Play With Dante Moore

Stewart then added that his desire to play with Dante Moore, something he has yet to do this season, is a major factor in his decision to potentially stay at Oregon for 2026.

"I don't know about that. I want to play with (Dante), if I'm being for real," Stewart told Skopil. "Me and Dante were going to be something. I still want to play with him. If he comes back, it's going to be lit, I know that."

 Oregon Ducks transfer wide receiver Evan Stewart NFL Draft decision college eligibility quarterback Dante Moore
Nov 16, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Evan Stewart (7) rushes with the football in front of Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Ricardo Hallman (2) after catching a pass during the fourth quarter at Camp Randall Stadium. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

However, Moore is expected to be one of the top quarterbacks selected in the 2026 NFL Draft and would likely need a significant NIL package in order to justify staying in college instead of going pro.

Moore told the media Tuesday that he has made "no decision" when it comes to the NFL.

The Ducks have already been connected to a few transfer quarterbacks since the end of the regular season and would almost certainly add one from the portal this offseason if Moore declares for the draft.

This could impact Stewart's decision, but only time will tell how things work out.

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Zach Dimmitt
ZACH DIMMITT

Zach Dimmitt is a beat reporter for Oregon Ducks on SI. He also is the Deputy Editor for Texas Longhorns On SI and Texas A&M Aggies On SI. He also contributes as a writer for NFL on SI sites like the Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans. He was previously the editor-in-chief of Buffalo Bills on SI, Philadelphia Eagles on SI and Seattle Seahawks on SI. Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Dimmitt received his Bachelor’s Degree in journalism at the University of Texas at Austin in 2022. He originally started with SI’s Fan Nation network in 2021, providing extensive coverage of the NFL and NBA along with college football and basketball. In that time, Dimmitt has published thousands of stories and has reached millions of people across multiple fan bases. You can follow him on X at @ZachDimmitt7

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