Top Offseason Additions for Oregon That Will Make an Immediate Impact
From the outside looking in, it may appear that the Oregon Ducks will have a bit of a rebuilding year. New coaching staff, several starters off to the NFL or the transfer portal, and a lot of movement on the recruiting trail.
But Dan Lanning and his new staff have insisted that this program isn't taking a step back and using the next season to figure things out before they can be an elite product again. There is still plenty of talent returning next season, and they enhanced their roster through the transfer portal and the prep ranks.
Here are the top additions to the roster that have the best chance to contribute right away.
1. Christian Gonzalez - Cornerback
Christian Gonzalez bats away a pass from USC wide receiver Tahj Washington.
© Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
The Ducks needed bodies at cornerback, especially an experienced one, after Mykael Wright and DJ James left the program. Dontae Manning and Trikweze Bridges will return as the likely starters at corner, but Christian Gonzalez is a player that will compete for that starting job from the jump.
The Colorado transfer began to turn heads as a freshman in 2020, making big plays in the secondary in the Alamo Bowl. In his first full season as a starter in 2021, he established himself as one of the Pac-12's rising stars at cornerback. He has sticky coverage skills and can match up with taller receivers with his size and length.
Cornerbacks Coach Demetrice Martin has a great connection with Gonzalez having coached him in Boulder. Manning and Bridges have the edge in mileage in an Oregon uniform and both have breakout potential, and Gonzalez will certainly give the Ducks another reliable option in the secondary.
2. Bo Nix - Quarterback
Bo Nix during his time at Auburn alongside Offensive Coordinator Kenny Dillingham.
© Jake Crandall, Montgomery Advertiser via Imagn Content Services, LLC
This should be prefaced with the fact that Dan Lanning and his staff have said that the quarterback competition will be open, so I'm not handing the job to Bo Nix over Ty Thompson and Jay Butterfield right away.
However, the thought process behind bringing Nix into the quarterback room is understandable. Oregon has a tough non-conference schedule with a bout against the reigning national champion Georgia Bulldogs in Atlanta, as well as a home game against BYU.
Thompson and Butterfield, while they have been with the program longer, have never started a game. Throwing one of them onto the national stage against a championship defense in what is as close to a true road game as you can get is risky.
Nix is a three-year starter in the SEC that has played in big games, and he was coached by new Offensive Coordinator Kenny Dillingham during his best season at Auburn. His experience, whether or not he is on the field, will be vital to the team.
3. Jahlil Florence - Cornerback
Jahlil Florence on a visit to Eugene.
Jahlil Florence displayed his rapid growth as a football player last season after not playing until his sophomore year, but you wouldn't be able to tell he was fairly new to the sport by watching him on film.
His instincts are next level, and his athleticism pops off the screen. As previously mentioned, the Ducks needed bodies at corner, and Florence is one of several young corners that will be vying for playing time next season, along with Avante Dickerson, Jaylin Davies, and Darren Barkins. Florence has experience as a punt returner as well, so he could carve some playing time early on special teams.
4. Jalil Tucker - Cornerback
Jalil Tucker on a visit to Eugene.
Jalil Tucker has supreme speed. He ran a 10.78 100m in his freshman year and would undoubtedly record a faster time today.
Tucker fits the Oregon mold of defensive backs that have come through the program in the past half decade — long, explosive, and a ball hawk. With a bunch of inexperienced players at cornerback, besides Manning, Bridges and Gonzalez, Tucker could excel on special teams as a gunner or a returner with his game-changing speed.
5. Sam Taimani - Defensive Lineman
Sam Taimani on his visit to Oregon shortly before committing.
Oregon loaded up along the defensive line this offseason, and Sam Taimani is the addition that is the most polished of the bunch. He started 14 games over the last two seasons for Washington and was a part of one of the best rushing defenses in the country.
With his experience and size (6'2", 330 pounds), he'll certainly be a prime candidate to be one of the first linemen off the bench or even a starter for the Ducks. Popo Aumavae, Brandon Dorlus, Keyon Ware-Hudson, and Kristian Williams all return, so it will be interesting to see how the rotation up front looks early on.
6. Anthony Jones - Outside Linebacker
Anthony Jones (5) alongside fellow Oregon signee Sir Mells (40).
One of the main priorities for the Ducks this offseason was to add an edge rusher, and Anthony Jones was one of the more unheralded additions of the offseason. He has great size at 6'5" and 242 pounds, but he's one of the more raw talents that the Ducks signed in the 2022 class.
His explosiveness is clear on tape, and with the Ducks' need for edge rushers, he could carve out a role early. Names like Dorlus, DJ Johnson, and Bradyn Swinson appear to be the prime candidates to start off the edge, but with Dorlus moving inside and out and Johnson's role as a tight end vs. defensive end under the new staff being uncertain, Jones may slip in the rotation.
7. Jordan James - Running Back
Jordan James on a visit to Eugene checking out Autzen Stadium.
The running back room took as big a hit as any on the Oregon roster this offseason. Travis Dye and CJ Verdell have moved on, leaving fresh faces to get the bulk of the carries for the first time in several years.
Byron Cardwell should be next in charge for the Ducks backfield, with Sean Dollars returning from injury and Seven McGee possibly splitting time as a running back and receiver. Jordan James, the flip from Georgia, is a smooth yet powerful runner that would excel playing behind the veteran offensive line.
James has elite agility and wiggle when running through would-be tacklers and has shown he can contribute in the receiving game as well. If McGee's transition to receiver is a full-time gig, James might slide in as the RB3 on the roster.
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