Oregon Ducks Fuel Championship Ambitions With Preseason Player Rankings

Quarterback Dante Moore is one of eight Ducks to make this prestigious list, while two others felt the snub.

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore walks off the field during the Oregon Ducks annual spring game on April 25, 2026 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Oregon Ducks enter the 2026 season ranked No. 2 in the AP poll and with good reason.

Dan Lanning’s squad recently placed eight Ducks among ESPN’s Top-100 players ahead of the season. That’s the most among all FBS teams, with Texas and Indiana at seven, Texas Tech and LSU at six and Miami and Ohio State with five.

October 11, 2025; Oregon Ducks cornerack Brandon Finney Jr., left, takes a pick-six to the house against the Indiana Hoosiers at Autzen Stadium | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Three Ducks find themselves in the top 25: quarterback Dante Moore at No. 11, defensive tackle A’Mauri Washington at No. 16 and cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. at No. 24.

Moore and Washington returned to Eugene for another season, as did defensive linemen Matayo Uiagalelei and Bear Alexander, who were omitted from the list.

Here’s where the remaining Ducks rank among the nation’s best.

Oregon Ducks Quarterback Dante Moore Lands at No. 11

Aug. 18, 2026; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore speaks during a press conference at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Moore is one of the fastest risers on the list, up to No. 11 from No. 24 on the previous ESPN list released in January.

The Ducks quarterback and Heisman hopeful is the fifth quarterback behind Trinidad Chambliss (No. 5, Ole Miss), CJ Carr (No. 7, Notre Dame), Julian Sayin (No. 8, Ohio State) and Jayden Maiava (No. 9, USC)–and two spots ahead of Texas’ Arch Manning at No. 13.

Dinging Moore in the rankings is likely his 78.5 total quarterback rating (Total QBR), trailing the four signal callers ahead of him on the list. Maiava leads all quarterbacks with an 89.9 QBR.

Oregon Ducks Defensive Tackle A’Mauri Washington Lands at No. 16

Oregon Ducks defensive lineman A'Mauri Washington lines up as the Oregon Ducks host the Idaho Vandals Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Washington enters the list as the top-rated defensive lineman in the Big Ten at No. 16, four spots above Michigan’s John Henry Daley.

The senior passed on the NFL draft, choosing instead to return to Eugene where he started all 15 games for the Ducks a year prior, picking up 33 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss. It’s Washington’s eight pass breakups, however, that elevate him to elite status and make him a menace to opposing offenses.

Oregon Ducks Cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. Lands at No. 24

Jan. 1, 2026; Oregon cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. celebrates an interception against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Brandon Finney Jr. rose from unranked in the previous rankings to No. 24 overall and second among all defensive backs, trailing only Notre Dame’s Leonard Moore, the No. 2-ranked player in the country.

As the only underclassman in his tier on the list, Finney was a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks during his freshman year. For context, Oregon quarterback Dante Moore posted a passer rating of 163.7 in 2025. Finney held receivers to 42.3.

The sophomore is a lock-down defender, a stalwart versus the run and was among the best at creating turnovers during his debut season, which featured two forced fumbles and three interceptions, one of them for a touchdown.

The Five Remaining Ducks in the Top-100

Nov 18, 2023; Oregon Ducks offensive lineman Iapani Laloulu celebrates versus the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Iapani Laloulu - Laloulu has started 27 games at center for Oregon, yielding just three pressures throughout the 2025 season.

Jamari Johnson - Johnson has big cleats to fill in replacing Kenyon Sadiq at tight end. He proved capable in 2025 with 32 catches for 510 yards and three touchdowns.

Teitum Tuioti - Tuioti finds himself at No. 76, despite the fact that his 9.5 sacks are more than the four linebackers ranked ahead of him on the list. The senior is unstoppable off the edge, recording a tackle for loss in each of Oregon’ first 14 games and 15 of his last 16 dating back to 2024.

Jan. 7, 2025, Atlanta, Georgia; Oregon outside linebacker Teitum Tuioti speaks during a media day ahead of the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Koi Perich - Perich led the conference as a freshman with five interceptions and was named to the first-team All-Big Ten while splitting time between defense, offense and special teams. He followed that with 82 tackles in a more defensive role with the Gophers. Now in Eugene, Perich might focus exclusively on defense.

Dakorien Moore - The ceiling is high for Moore. He caught only 34 passes as a freshman last year, but they went for an average of 14.6 yards per catch. Filling in for the injured Evan Stewart, Moore started seven of 11 games, hauling in 497 yards and three scores. With Stewart back, Moore needs to produce with fewer opportunities.

The Missing Ducks

Matayo Uiagalelei finds himself on the outside of the Top-100 looking in. A player with first round talent, the senior outside linebacker saw his sack total drop from 10.5 in 2024 to six last year.

Nov 18, 2023; Tempe, Arizona; Oregon Ducks defensive end Matayo Uiagalelei pursues an Arizona State Sun Devils ball carrier at Mountain America Stadium. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Bear Alexander earned 50 tackles, including 6.5 for a loss, and a sack in 2025. He’s also garnered just 4.5 sacks in 43 career games, lackluster numbers for a former five-star who began his career with Georgia and USC before arriving at Oregon.

Oregon has eight players ranked among the top 100, more than any other program in the country. It’s the kind of talent and star power required to contend for a national championship, especially should Uiagalelei and Alexander prove ESPN wrong.

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