Oregon Ducks Freshman Puts Nation On Notice With New Ranking

EUGENE – One of the pleasant surprises from the Oregon Ducks’ 2025 season was the play of the program’s true freshmen running backs.

Oregon running back Dierre Hill Jr. finished the 2025 season with the highest Pro Football Focus grade of any freshman running back in the nation. He stood out with his performance as a freshman, and there could be more great things in store.

A Strong Start With the Ducks

oregon ducks dierre hill dan lanning running back jordon davison noah whittington jay harris jayden limar iapani laloluo — Oregon head coach Dan Lanning walks the field as the Oregon Ducks warm up to host Portland State in the Ducks season opener Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Hill rushed for 656 yards and five touchdowns on 75 carries last season. He also tallied 137 receiving yards and caught a touchdown on 16 receptions. Hill finished 2025 with a 90.8 PFF grade.

The freshman was able to accomplish all of that while starting the season further down the depth chart. Oregon senior Noah Whittington headlined the 2025 running back room, while running back Jayden Limar started the season as one of the top players in the backfield and Hill’s fellow freshman, Jordon Davison, also earned early snaps.

But Hill quickly established himself as a top-three player in the Ducks’ running back room. He stepped up in big moments, such as a ranked road matchup against the Penn State Nittany Lions. Hill recorded a career-high 10 carries in that game and rushed for 82 yards, while receiving a clutch touchdown.

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Why Running Back Dierre Hill Jr.’s Freshman Season Was a Sign of Things to Come

Whittington is out of eligibility, and players like Limar and running back Jay Harris transferred out. That makes Hill and Davison the projected top two players in the running back room entering 2026.

Hill proved that he’s capable of a larger role through his play later in his freshman season. In contrast to Davison, who started his career in short-yardage scenarios before growing into a more versatile role, Hill brings a more explosive play style to the backfield. He displayed his ability to break away for long gains in multiple instances.

The running back’s career-long run came in his most recent appearance in the College Football Playoff semifinals when he ran for 71 yards. Hill exceeded 50 yards on three different carries in 2025.

Hill heads into his sophomore season with already plenty of experience in Oregon’s system. This time around, he’s set to play a key role right away. Hill’s freshman PFF grade is proof of his early success in college. He enters 2026 as one of the nation’s top running backs and a player who is becoming more important on opposing scouting reports.

It helps that the Ducks return several notable names on offense, including center offensive lineman Iapani Laloulu and offensive guard Dave Iuli. The offense line also adds a five-star offensive line recruit in Immanuel Iheanacho and a top transfer in former Yale offensive lineman Michael Bennett.

The Oregon offensive line was up for the Joe Moore Award for the nation’s best unit for the third straight year in 2025. Even with a few changes to the starting unit, the Ducks are set to have another impressive offensive line in 2026, which will be important for Hill’s success in the backfield.