Ranking the Deepest Position Groups on Oregon's Offense

Coach Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks staff hauled in a top-five recruiting class in 2026 and reloaded with depth through the transfer portal, while bringing back the core of the team’s starting unit from a season ago.

The Oregon roster is looking deep as it attempts to make a deep run into the College Football Playoff. Between Dante Moore leading a loaded quarterback room and players coming back from injury, the question becomes: which offensive group is the most stacked heading into the fall season?

Below is a projection of the deepest offensive groups.

1. Wide Receiver

oregon ducks dan lanning dante dakorien moore wide receiver tight end quarterback dylan raiola evan stewart offensive line — Sep 20, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Dakorien Moore (1) walks off the field after the game against the Oregon State Beavers at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The receiver position was an area that held a lot of questions heading into the 2025 season. It was announced that veteran receiver Evan Stewart would miss extended time before the season began, and the rest of the room featured transfers and players unproven at the collegiate level.

Even though the unit still battled injuries, Dakorien Moore showed he’s capable of leading a room with his standout freshman season, while Jeremiah McClellan broke out in the latter half of the season.

With Stewart now set to return and Moore and McClellan also back, the Ducks’ quarterbacks will have some dangerous playmakers to target. UAB transfer Iverson Hooks additionally enters as a receiver who could make an early impact, while freshmen Gaitlin Bair, Jalen Lott, Messiah Hampton and Hudson Lewis join.

2. Quarterback

Similar to the receiver position, the quarterback room is crowded with talent that has the ability to make game-changing plays. Unlike the receiver room, there are fewer questions about who might start. Dante Moore is projected to hold on to his starting role after totaling 32 touchdowns in 2025 and helping the team to the CFP semifinals.

Moore could be a Heisman Trophy candidate if he continues to build off his success as an Oregon starter. Along with Moore, the quarterback position includes transfer Dylan Raiola, who was a two-year starter for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

The Ducks will have two quarterbacks in 2026 with multiple years of starting experience at the collegiate level. Then there’s Brock Thomas, who served as Moore’s backup in 2025, and former blue-chip recruit Akili Smith Jr.

3. Tight End

Despite the Ducks losing their top 2025 tight end, Kenyon Sadiq, to the 2026 NFL Draft, there won’t be a lack of options at the position in the fall. Jamari Johnson recorded three touchdowns for the Ducks in 2025 and is set to be the veteran player in the room this season.

The tight ends aren't ranked No. 1 or No. 2 on this list due to the players behind Johnson lacking tight-end snaps at the collegiate level. Clemson transfer Markus Dixon is the other upperclassman in the room, but played defensive end in 2025 after having 34 offensive snaps at tight end in his first two seasons.

Other players headlining the tight end group are incoming five-star Kendre Harrison and former five-star/Penn State transfer Andrew Olesh. Harrison and Olesh are two tight ends who could be the future of the position for the Ducks, but will have to compete with one another to get onto the field in 2026.

4. Offensive Line

Oregon returns just two offensive line starters from 2025: Iapani Laloulu and Dave Iuli. Laloulu, however, is the team’s center and allows the team to keep both its center and quarterback from 2025, which is an important aspect that can’t be understated when talking about returning talent.

Lanning and offensive line coach A’lique Terry additionally added a five-star recruit in Immanuel Iheanacho, who has a chance to start or be a key rotational piece. Players like Fox Crader and Kawika Rogers already have important experience stepping in and out of the lineup for the Ducks last year, when the unit dealt with injuries.

Offensive tackle Michael Bennett transferred in from Yale and adds experience to the unit up front. Other offensive linemen, like Douglas Utu, were blue-chip recruits coming out of high school who might finally receive their starting opportunity in 2026.

Terry has options to turn to along the offensive line this fall, but it’s similar to the tight ends, where most of the room will have to prove itself at the collegiate level and players show their chemistry playing with one another.

5. Running Back

It’s hard to say that a running back room led by two of the Big Ten’s top freshmen running backs from the 2025 season is the fifth deepest offensive unit on the Ducks. It goes to show Oregon’s positive offensive outlook in 2026.

The questions surrounding who will step up and seize the third running back spot in the depth chart with the changes behind Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. are what put the backfield at the bottom of the list.

Davison comes of a broken clavicle injury that impacted his availability at the end of the 2025 season, where he rushed for 15 touchdowns. Hill showcased his ability to impact the game as both a rushing and receiving threat. Colorado transfer Simeon Price is arguably the leading candidate to be a top-three running back for the Ducks, given his experience as a redshirt senior.

Price rushed for 143 yards and a pair of touchdowns last season on 21 carries. True freshmen Tradarian Ball and Brandon Smith also enter the fold. They could rise in the depth chart as the season progresses, similar to what Davison and Hill did in 2025.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google