Three Players Who Could Change Everything for Oregon

Dan Lanning added big-name transfers in the offseason who are expected to make a splash for the Oregon Ducks in 2026. Even though players such as safety Koi Perich will determine how far the Ducks go this season, players who have spent time developing in the Oregon system or who’ve been sidelined will impact the program’s College Football Playoff fate.

Here are three players who could change everything for the Ducks in 2026, with one for offense, defense and special teams.

oregon ducks dan lanning fall camp devon jackson gage hurych evan stewart linebacker receiver kicker offense special teams — Oregon head coach Dan Lanning walks the field during warmups as the Oregon Ducks take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Offense: Receiver Evan Stewart

Perhaps the player who’s gained the most offseason praise on Oregon is receiver Evan Stewart. The proof that he’s in store for a standout season? Lanning – who almost never answers questions about individual standouts – named Stewart during Big Ten Media Days, even to the receiver’s surprise.

“Evan Stewart’s had a really good offseason,” Lanning said. “He was out for us last year. He was injured during the year, but I’m really excited about what Evan can bring to our team this year. We have a lot of great players, so it’s unfair for me to pick one, but he’s had a great offseason. I’m excited to see what he can create this year.”

Stewart missed all of 2025 with a torn patellar injury. Before that, he tallied 48 receptions for 613 yards and five touchdowns in 2024 as a transfer in Eugene. Stewart stepped up in big matchups against Boise State and Ohio State that year, notching a touchdown and 100-plus receiving yards in both.

If Stewart can have similar production to what he had in 2024, if not even more, it adds another dangerous weapon to the Ducks’ offense to pair with receivers Dakorien Moore, Jeremiah McClellan and quarterback Dante Moore.

Defense: Linebacker Devon Jackson

Similar to Stewart on offense, getting linebacker Devon Jackson back at 100 percent health this season could be just as important, if not more, than any offseason addition.

Both Lanning and Oregon defensive coordinator Chris Hampton have praised Jackson’s work ethic and physical traits throughout fall camp. Jackson also drew a lot of offseason buzz by making Bruce Feldman’s annual “Freaks List.”

While the “Freaks List” stated that he reached 24 miles per hour in the offseason, Jackson set the record straight in camp, saying he may have hit “mid-23s.” Still, the linebacker enters his final season of eligibility with a different kind of speed and physicality than the Ducks have seen at the position.

Jackson’s career-best season so far was 2024, when he recorded 47 tackles, two pass defections, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble. If he can secure his role as a starter and have another career year with former linebacker Bryce Boettcher out of the picture, it’ll elevate the Ducks’ defense alongside established players on the defensive line and secondary.

Special Teams: Kicker Gage Hurych

This one could arguably be the biggest game-changer for the Ducks in 2026. Oregon fans have had their concerns about the kicker position at times over the years, but Gage Hurych is a player who’s been prepped to step into a high-pressure role since he arrived in Eugene.

Lanning and special teams coordinator Joe Lorig spoke about how the team has provided Hurych with pressure kick opportunities in practice, even when Atticus Sappington was the starting kicker.

“They were calling him ‘Ice Man’ like the first week he was here. He never really gets too high, never really gets too low,” Lorg said. “He's just always the same whether it's a missed kick or a made kick, and that mental piece is the hardest.”

Lorig added that the program has developed Hurych like it does backup quarterbacks. Close battles down the stretch of the season against CFP-level opponents might go down to a last-second field goal from 40-plus yards out.

The Oregon product out of West Linn will more than likely have the opportunity to show his development and mental poise at some point in a critical moment in the season – and it could make or break Oregon’s chances at a National Championship.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google