Ducks Digest

Did Oregon Ducks' Jeffrey Bassa Raise NFL Draft Stock At Senior Bowl?

The Oregon Ducks had a strong presence at the Reese's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama last weekend. One name coming up more and more often as an NFL Draft prospect is linebacker Jeffrey Bassa, a leader for the Ducks in the 2024 season.
Ally Osborne|
Jan 28, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; National team linebacker Jeffrey Bassa of Oregon (2) signals during Senior Bowl practice for the National team at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images
Jan 28, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; National team linebacker Jeffrey Bassa of Oregon (2) signals during Senior Bowl practice for the National team at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

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Oregon Ducks

As the NFL Draft draws nearer and nearer, debate for which former Oregon Ducks will walk across the stage in Green Bay continues. Linebacker Jeffrey Bassa, a leader for the Ducks during the 2024-2025 season, is one of the names being tossed around as a late-round highlight.

The hype around Bassa began circling after his performance at the Reese's Senior Bowl, where the former Duck helped call defensive signals for the National team. Entering this showcase, Bassa already displayed the physical attributes of an athlete dedicated to conditioning.

Bassa was one of six Ducks that traveled to the Senior Bowl, including offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr., wide receiver Tez Johnson, quarterback Dillon Gabriel, defensive lineman Jamaree Caldwell, and tight end Terrance Ferguson.

Though it's reported the upcoming rookie had some rough spots in pass coverage, Bassa displayed immense speed and maneuvered with the agility of a safety (he played safety in high school, along with defensive back and wide receiver). Bassa was also recruited as a safety for Oregon and played all 14 games of the 2021 season as such until he switched to linebacker in 2022.

A video of Bassa going against Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon in a pass block rep went viral during the Senior Bowl weekend and highlighted Bassa's explosive ability to move through whomever he's guarding and continue to provide more coverage after a hit.

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Bassa was also voted by his peers on the offensive side of the National team to be the No. 1 linebacker at the Practice Player-of-the-Week awards ceremony in Mobile with the Senior Bowl. The Duck emerged as a leader for the team, frequently being seen conducting huddles.

During the game itself, Bassa punched in four tackles including 0.5 tackle for loss.

In an interview with the Touchdowns and Tangents Podcast, Bassa opened up about his drive to be a leader on the field and why he stepped up during the Senior Bowl.

"I think just my mindset when it comes to - I want to be that guy who people can rely on and depend on for the call or the situation, right. So guys can, when I ask guys like 'hey what y'all seeing?' So I can let them know what's the next play to anticipate for," Bassa said.

With the Ducks, Bassa racked up 226 total touchdowns over four seasons. He's also totaled 4.5 tackles and four defended passes during his tenure at Oregon. And who could forget Bassa's 45-yard pick six against Texas Tech in 2023 for a 38-30 close-cut win? Bassa has been a constant leadership presence for the Ducks.

In an interview with Clint Goss of Stadium Rant, Bassa detailed why his agility derived from playing safety assists him as a linebacker and why those attributes could become valuable for an NFL team.

"I think that helps me out tremendously. Boosts me up a little bit because when it comes to guarding the spread offenses in the NFL, there's a lot of running backs that are targeted out the back field now. So you need somebody who can be bashed up on them but make sure everybody's in the right call and run with explosive tight ends like Travis Kelce. There's other great tight ends in the league as well but you need linebackers that can be able to run with them," Bassa said.

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Ally Osborne
ALLY OSBORNE

A reporter for Oregon Ducks on SI, Ally Osborne is a born and raised Oregonian. She graduated from the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communications in 2021 after interning for the Oregon Sports Network with experience working on live sporting broadcasts for ESPN, FOX Sports, the PAC 12 Network, and Runnerspace. Osborne continued her career in Bend, Oregon as a broadcast reporter in 2021 for Central Oregon Daily News while writing for Oregon Ducks on SI. Since then, Osborne is entering her third season reporting for the publication and is frequently the on-site reporter for home games at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. She is currently the host of lifestyle shows "Everyday Northwest" and "Tower Talk Live" for KOIN 6 News in Portland, Oregon. Osborne also works as a sports reporter for KOIN 6's "Game On" sports department. In her free time, Osborne is an avid graphic designer, making art commissions for athletes across her home state. Osborne's designs have even become tattoos for a few Duck athletes.

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