One Oregon Ducks Freshman Drawing Attention of Chris Hampton, Koi Perich in Fall Camp

The No. 2 Oregon Ducks have consistently recruited some of the top high school prospects in the country, and former four-star defensive back Davon Benjamin might have the biggest impact of any Oregon freshmen that joined the Ducks in the class of 2026.

While five-star offensive lineman Immanuel Iheanacho and five-star wide receiver Jalen Lotts are easy picks for potential early contributors, Benjamin seems to be turning the most heads during fall camp.

oregon ducks chris hampton davon benjamin true freshman nickel star koi perich dan lanning recruit big ten brandon finney — Oaks Christian's Davon Benjamin breaks free from St. Bonaventure's Kaden Glover during the second quarter of Oaks Christian's 35-0 Marmonte League win over visiting St. Bonaventure Friday at Redell Field. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

After Tuesday's practice, Oregon defensive coordinator Chris Hampton and transfer safety Koi Perich opened up about what they've seen from Benjamin during his first fall camp in college, revealing the level of confidence that Benjamin is already playing with.

Chris Hampton on Davon Benjamin

"Yeah, I think he's got extreme confidence. I think he's obviously got the skill set. You know, a lot of freshmen have the skill set, but there's times that there's a learning curve. He's a smart individual. He's really confident. He's got some swagger to him. I think he'll be able to help us this year," Hampton said on Tuesday.

According to On3's rankings, Benjamin was the No. 93 overall recruit in the class of 2026 and the No. 12 cornerback prospect. His versatility is proving to be valuable as Hampton mentioned that Benjamin is one of the few Ducks standing out at the STAR/nickel position in Oregon's defense

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"You know, I think it's going to be multiple guys do it. I really do. I think that Carl (Willams') done a great job. Davon's done a great job. Zach Grisham's done a great job. You know, so we've had, you know, there'll be some guys that do it this season, USC in September. So, but no, it'll be interesting to see, you know, who goes out there and, you know, plays the star position for us."

Koi Perich on Davon Benjamin

In addition to earning the respect of his defensive coordinator, Benjamin is seemingly catching the attention of his teammates as well.

Perich is expected to be a key contributor for Oregon after transferring in from Minnesota, and Benjamin may turn out to be one of his running mates in the Ducks' secondary throughout the 2026 regular season.

“I see a level of maturity with Davon. He came in, obviously, a freshman, a little jittery, but he's grown very fast, and I love the way he plays. He plays mean, he plays fast, and he's going to be a really great player.”

Davon Benjamin the Next Brandon Finney?

While the Ducks' depth chart is not yet finalized, Oregon is no stranger to having a freshman defensive back make an immediate impact in Eugene. During the 2024 season, one of the biggest break outs on the team was cornerback Brandon Finney Jr., who was ultimately named to the Big Ten's all-conference second team.

Finney also won the Defensive MVP award after Oregon's 23-0 win over Texas Tech after recording two interceptions. Finney operated exclusively on the outside as one of Oregon's starting cornerbacks, though, and it appears as though Benjamin might be used in specific personnel packages.

In addition to Benjamin, a number of Oregon defensive backs could be in store for breakout seasons, including Trey McNutt and Na'eem Offord. Still, the Ducks defense seems to be in good hands with at least one true freshman making his mark early.

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