Future Oregon Ducks' Backfield Stacks Up With Texas, Alabama, Georgia Recruits

In the upcoming 2025 season, the Oregon Ducks are expected to start either Dante Moore or Austin Novosad at quarterback, while Tulane Green Wave running back transfer Makhi Hughes will be helping to run the show in Eugene.

The Ducks have the talent to have one of the best offenses in the Big Ten Conference, but a couple of other names from Oregon's 2026 recruiting class could be that much better down the road.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning takes the field as the No. 9 Oregon Ducks host Washington State Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Rivals' Keegan Pope has named Oregon one of the incoming top backfields led by four-star quarterback Bryson Beaver and four-star running back Tradarian Ball. He listed five other schools that should have a powerful quarterback and running back duo.

Texas Longhorns - five-star quarterback Dia Bell, four-star running back Derek Cooper

Georgia Bulldogs - four-star quarterback Jared Curtis, four-star running back Jae Lamar

Texas A&M Aggies - four-star quarterback Helaman Casuga, four-star running back Jonathan Hatton Jr., four-star running back KJ Edwards

Notre Dame Fighting Irish - four-star quarterback Noah Grubbs, four-star running back Jonaz Walton, four-star running back Javian Osborne

Alabama Crimson Tide - four-star quarterback Jett Thomalla, four-star quarterback Tayden Jaawa, four-star running back Ezavier Crowell

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Beaver has shot up all the different national player rankings after standing out at the Elite 11 Finals in Los Angeles and decommitting from the Boise State Broncos in early June. He soon committed to the Ducks with the help of his primary recruiter, offensive coordinator Will Stein. According to Rivals, Beaver ranks as the No. 44 overall recruit in the 2026 class, the No. 5 quarterback in the country, and the No. 7 player from the state of California.

At Vista Murrieta, the 6-3 and 195-pound gunslinger has thrown for 6,458 passing yards and 63 touchdowns on a 60.1 completion rate through 34 games in his high school career. The offensive leader can also do it on his feet, rushing for 387 yards and three touchdowns in his three varsity seasons.

Oregon running backs coach Ra'Shaad Samples works with the team during the Ducks’ fall camp Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

As for Ball, the Texas high school standout in Texarkana ranks as the No. 22 player coming out of the state and the No. 15 running back in the country. While standing just 5-9 and weighing in at 170 pounds, he has put together 2,741 rushing yards and 37 touchdowns on 362 carries in 35 career games played.

Ball also grabbed 1,638 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns on 79 catches out of the backfield. His primary recruiter from the Ducks was running backs coach Ra'Shaad Samples.

Oregon's 2026 recruiting class rankings have gradually been moving up the ladder throughout the summer, now at No. 3 among all college football programs (behind the No. 2 SEC's Georgia Bulldogs and No. 1 Big Ten's USC Trojans). Coach Dan Lanning will have a variety of weapons at his disposal in the coming years.