Oregon’s Top Player to Watch This Spring Might Come as a Surprise

The Oregon Ducks are on the brink of beginning spring practice, which signals one of the most important first steps toward getting the team prepped for the 2026 season.

Oregon will close out the spring schedule with the annual Spring Game on April 25 at Autzen Stadium, where both new and returning players will be taking the field in front of fans to debut what the 2026 squad will look like. But when it comes to who the most notable player to keep eyes on is, the answer might come as a surprise.

Oregon Wide Receiver Evan Stewart Top Player to Watch This Spring?

While fans will anticipate getting to watch new portal additions like Minnesota safety Koi Perich along with true freshmen like safety Jett Washington and tight end Kendre Harrison, there's an argument to be made that the most important player to keep eyes on has already been a member of the roster.

After missing all of the 2025 season due to a torn patella tendon in his knee, the spring game will mark the first time Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart will take the field in front of fans since the Big Ten Championship during the 2024 season.

Considering that he did not get a chance to build a season's worth of chemistry this past year with quarterback Dante Moore, seeing how the two of them look together on the field could prove to be a key early story line during the spring and headed into fall camp.

This will particularly be something to watch when considering Stewart's comments about Moore leading up to the Orange Bowl against Texas Tech in the College Football Playoff Quarterfinals.

Stewart made his desire to play with Moore clear something he did not get a chance to do during the season, saying that it was playing a major factor in his decision to potentially stay at Oregon for 2026.

Once Moore announced his return to Eugene to forgo the 2026 NFL Draft, Stewart's decision felt obvious.

"I don't know about that. I want to play with (Dante), if I'm being for real," Stewart told Erik Skopil of 247Sports. "Me and Dante were going to be something. I still want to play with him. If he comes back, it's going to be lit, I know that."

Sure, the new portal additions and freshmen will earn some much-deserved attention from the fans at Autzen Stadium, and understandably so. But with how long a player of Stewart's caliber has been out, there's no doubt he will be near the top of the list of Ducks to keep tabs on this spring.

Oregon Ducks wide receiver Evan Stewart celebrates a big catch during the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Autzen Stadium. | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Despite missing the entire season, Stewart said that he still felt confident about his chances in the 2026 NFL Draft.

"In my honest opinion, I could (go to the NFL)," Stewart said, per Skopil. "Just going off of athletic capabilities, testing and stuff like that, of course. If we're being honest I do see myself in college for another year. I haven't really thought about too much though."

In his first season with Oregon in 2024, Stewart posted 48 catches for 613 yards and five touchdowns. His full return from injury will be one to monitor throughout the spring and into fall camp. The Ducks were able to withstand a number of wide receiver injuries during the 2025 season, but having Stewart back for 2026 could take Oregon's offense to the next level.