Oregon’s Bear Alexander Gains NFL Buzz Before Pivotal USC Game

Oregon Ducks defensive lineman Bear Alexander is gaining NFL buzz for his breakout season. After transferring this offseason, Alexander is thriving under Ducks coach Dan Lanning's leadership after playing for the Georgia Bulldogs and USC Trojans.

This Saturday, Alexander will face his former USC team and coach Lincoln Riley in a highly anticipated matchup at Autzen Stadium. The past drama between Alexander and Riley will certainly be a storyline in the Big Ten clash. NFL Scouts and fans alike will be watching closely to see if Alexander can continue his dominant run against the Trojans’ offensive line.

In ten games for the Ducks, Alexander is becoming a nightmare for opposing offenses and the NFL world is starting to take notice...

Georgia Bulldogs Bear Alexander usc trojans transfer portal oregon ducks dan lanning big ten nfl draft scouts practice sacks lincoln riley | oregon ducks on si jacob bunn

NFL Taking Notice Of Bear Alexander

The former 5-star recruit Alexander is grabbing the attention of the NFL as his draft stock rises. Pro Football Network draft analyst Ian Cummings catapulted Alexander into his top-100 athletes for the 2026 NFL Draft.

"Alexander's tumultuous past is well-documented, but it seems as though he's remade himself in Eugene. Awesome power," Cummings wrote.

Alexander is an NFL Draft prospect that is flying up multiple draft boards after strong showings of his impressive speed and disruptive play as a Duck. Oregon was a fresh start for the redshirt junior who has taken full advantage of the opportunity.

Alexander has recorded at least five tackles in six of his last nine games, highlighted by a season-high six tackles and two tackles for loss against now- No. 2 Indiana in week 7. Also, he was a standout in Oregon’s win over Penn State, earning the team’s top defensive grade with a 90.3 PFF score while recording five tackles, including a tackle for loss.

Oct 28, 2023; Berkeley, California, USA; USC Trojans defensive lineman Bear Alexander (90) gestures during the third quarter against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Ducks fans have enjoyed watching Alexander embrace Lanning's culture and dedicate himself to the program. It appears, NFL scouts are noticing it as well.

Dan Lanning On Alexander's Rise

Alexander's exciting potential is beginning to take shape as a Duck. When his committed to Oregon's No. 1 ranked transfer portal class (in the Big Ten) - the hope was that he could make an immediate impact as the Ducks looked to replace multiple starters (Derrick Harmon, Jordan Burch) who were drafted in the 2025 NFL Draft... and he has delivered.

"Bear deserves the credit for what he's done," Oregon coach Dan Lanning said before playing USC. "We've certainly coached Bear and he's been super receptive and worked really hard to be the best version of himself. I think he's come here and found the best version of himself. But he deserves the credit for what he's helped with Coach Tuioti, Coach Lupoi coaching him along the way."

"Taking that coaching and executing at a high level. We've always talked about 'What do the reps look like? Not how many of the reps.' I think Bear has recognized that and has made an impact on our team in a positive way," Lanning continued.

Jan 9, 2023; Inglewood, CA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Bear Alexander (99) celebrates after defeating the TCU Horned Frogs during the CFP national championship game at SoFi Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Drama Surrounded Bear Alexander And Lincoln Riley

Is Alexander the "one that got away" from USC?

In 2024, Alexander only played three games for Riley and never started. His playing time became an issue, publicly. Alexander and his family were vocal on social media - his guardian, Tony Jones, confirmed toThe Los Angeles Times that the relationship with USC was “severed.”

The 6-3, 315-pound lineman seemingly shut himself down in order to maintain his redshirt, and he immediately entered the winter transfer portal. Then, Riley voiced his displeasure about the "crap" redshirt rules to media.

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With the Trojans in 2023 he started all 13 games and totaled 47 tackles and 1.5 sacks. In 2024, Alexander recorded just four tackles and was in a backup role for USC, before he decided to redshirt.

Alexander revealed what feels different about this offseason with Oregon, compared to Georgia and USC.

“Honestly and truly, speaking, just the joy and the peace," Alexander said. "The team, the connection piece of just being able to be around the guys.”

Alexander's "peace" is working well for the Ducks... and his NFL future.