Oregon Coach Ross Douglas Reveals Excitement for One New Receiver in Particular

With the departure of outgoing senior wide receiver Malik Benson, the return of senior receiver Evan Stewart, and the success of rising sophomore Dakorien Moore, the Oregon Ducks receiver room is once again in flux.

Among a room packed with talent, freshman Gatlin Bair returns from a two-year LDS mission to play football once again after being a top-80 recruit in the class of 2024.

ross douglar gatlin bair dan lanning oregon ducks football big ten conference autzen stadium wide receiver spring ball eugene — Oregon wide receivers coach Ross Douglas works with players during Oregon’s spring game on April 26, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ross Douglas Chats Gatlin Bair's Potential

After a spring scrimmage on Saturday, Oregon receiver coach Ross Douglas had a helping of kind words for the soon to be Duck, starting with his natural athleticism.

"No doubt, well, Gatlin, obviously, you see him, like, he's physically gifted, like, crazily physically gifted. Like, he has size, he has speed, you know, both his parents were high-level collegiate athletes, I mean, his brother's on our track team right here, he was at Mississippi State last year, like, he's an NCAA champion in decathlon, so he comes from great parents and has great genes," Douglas said.

Bair's parents are both track athletes from Utah State University. Bair himself competed in a flurry of events in high school with several appearances at the USATF National Junior Olympic Championships.

The Duck rides into Autzen Stadium before the game against James Madison in Eugene Dec. 20, 2025. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

From Mission to Gridiron

Though Bair's natural talents are present, there's a learning curve when it comes to returning to a sport, especially when being away from it for a few years. Douglas posits that Bair getting right back into the process Oregon has with his fellow teammates is a great way to get reintroduced.

"So now, again, he hasn't played football for two years, but football is a game of repetition. So the more you play it, the better you get at it. So just continue to get him practice reps and really forge him in a fire, like just like learning on the fly and making mistakes, getting corrected, like not making the same mistakes again. So it's just really been a good process with Gatlin. I like where he's at and just excited to continue to work with him," said Douglas.

Nov 22, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Evan Stewart (7) celebrates during the game against the Southern California Trojans during the first half at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Oregon's Current Receiver Room

Bair will likely need a season to adjust, and he has plenty of mentors to learn from amongst the Ducks. However, when it comes to getting on the field, competition is stiff in the receiver corps.

Moore, Stewart, and redshirt sophomore Jeremiah McClellan all return with on-field production for the Ducks in the previous season. Furthermore, redshirt senior Iverson Hooks transferred into the Ducks from UAB during this offseason.

On the younger side, freshman Messiah Hampton, redshirt freshman Aaron Bidwell, redshirt freshman Nathan McCoy II, freshman Hudson Lewis, redshirt freshman Jovon McRae II, and redshirt sophomore's Jack Ressler and Brady Bidwell all bring moldable talent to the Ducks to make a packed receiver room.

Plus, redshirt sophomore Dillon Gresham's future is uncertain after a neck injury sidelined him for the season. His spring game performance from 2025 had many fans wondering if his role would increase.

Basically, for Bair, it'll be a fight to get field time, but a likely fruitful vision to learn from a packed room of athletes with the chance to start as he develops.

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