Former Oregon Ducks Receiver Ryan Pellum Arrested for 'Pistol-Whipping' Assault

According to reports, former Oregon Ducks receiver Ryan Pellum has been arrested. Pellum entered the transfer portal earlier in the week to depart Oregon's football program ran by coach Dan Lanning.

Oregon Green Team defensive back Nikko Reed breaks up a pass indended for wide receiver Ryan Pellum during the Oregon Ducks’ Spring Game Saturday, April 27. 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Former Oregon Ducks wide receiver Ryan Pellum has found himself in serious legal trouble after completing his first season of college football.

Per reports from Kezi 9 News in Eugene, Pellum, under his legal name of Ryan Tristan Chance Taylor, has been arrested in Springfield, Oregon, after a warrant was issued for his arrest in his hometown Long Beach, California. According to the court documents obtained by Kezi 9 News, Pellum is accused of "pistol-whipping" a person in California on Christmas Day.

Pellum allegedly injured the victim's head before firing two shots in "an unknown direction." As a result of firing his gun, a nationwide extraditable warrant was sent out of Long Beach for his arrest. He has an unknown bail set, per the report.

Oregon wide receiver Ryan Pellum returns the ball during practice with the Ducks Thursday, April 18, 2024, at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Pellum entered the transfer portal on Jan. 6 after just one season in Eugene. The former four-star recruit's quick exit was a bit surprising given his brief stay with the program, but the timeline of the latest legal development has helped shed some light on the potential reasoning for his departure.

Pellum was a four-star recruit for the Ducks in the 2024 class recruiting class out of Millikan High School in Long Beach, California. Before signing with Oregon, Pellum was originally committed to the USC Trojans before flipping to the Ducks and committing to Oregon coach Dan Lanning.

He had offers from teams like Ohio State, Texas, Texas A&M, Miami, Colorado, Penn State, Georgia, USC, Alabama, LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Washington, Tennessee, Arizona State, BYU, Arkansas, Auburn and many more. He played both cornerback and receiver in high school, but received some NFL hype for his ability as a pass-catcher.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning looks to the clock towards the end of the first half as the Oregon Ducks face the Ohio State Buckeyes Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in the quarterfinal of the College Football Playoff at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

He ends his Oregon career having appeared in just four games. He had a tackle in the 31-10 win over the Michigan State Spartans on Oct. 4 but his most notable play came on a costly mistake a few weeks later against the Michigan Wolverines.

With the Ducks leading 7-0 in the first quarter in Ann Arbor, Pellum fumbled after trying to evade tackles on a punt return following Michigan's second drive. This allowed the Wolverines to recover and gain possession at Oregon's 28-yard line. Michigan quarterback Davis Warren found receiver Tyler Morris for a seven-yard score a few plays later to tie the game. Oregon didn't blink despite the turnover and cruised to a 38-17 win.

Pellum had been placed on punt return duties after an injury suffered early in that game by star receiver Tez Johnson.

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