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Ducks Digest

Which Oregon Football Freshman Can Make Instant Impact?

With the Oregon Ducks Spring Game behind us and the countdown to college football kickoff looming, which fresh-faced talents will see the field under the Oregon and coach Dan Lanning's Big Ten debut?
Ally Osborne|
Oregon defensive back Aaron Flowers goes up for a pass during warmups ahead of the Oregon Ducks’ Spring Game Saturday, April 27. 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore.
Oregon defensive back Aaron Flowers goes up for a pass during warmups ahead of the Oregon Ducks’ Spring Game Saturday, April 27. 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA

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When the college decision social media posts die down and new Oregon Duck commits first step into the Moshofsky Center, reality sets in. No longer is a freshman a highly anticipated duck emoji adorning Oregon coach Dan Lanning’s “X” post, they must get ready to face an often monumental escalation of talent under the scrutiny of an unfamiliar Big Ten Conference.

This year, Oregon is anything but short on weapons. The Ducks' 2024 recruiting class ranks No. 4 in the nation by 247Sports. For their first year in the Big Ten, the Ducks stand behind only the Ohio State Buckeyes for conference recruiting. Overall, the Georgia Bulldogs and the Alabama Crimson Tide have the No. 1 and No. 2 recruiting classes for the 2024 class in college football.

When you look at the numbers behind Oregon’s 2024 freshman class you’ll find the surprising note of only one five-star recruit. In fact, 28 of this years’ freshmen are four stars, followed by 11 at three stars. Lanning and crew understand how to budget their recruiting tactics to garner the talent they need for what they have now.

Oregon defensive back Aaron Flowers goes up for a pass during warmups ahead of the Oregon Ducks’ Spring Game
Oregon defensive back Aaron Flowers goes up for a pass during warmups ahead of the Oregon Ducks’ Spring Game Saturday, April 27. 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA

This 2024 season boasts a roster of an above average 25 seniors and 20 juniors. With talented depth in the offense, there’s a chance not many freshmen will make an immediate impact in their first season and develop. However, with a few more gaps on defense, there are spots where some young blood could cut their teeth.

In our prediction for freshmen Ducks with a chance to see the field this year, you might recognize a few Spring Game stand-outs and recruiting gems.

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Ally Osborne
ALLY OSBORNE

A born and raised Oregonian, Ally Osborne has a passion for sporting events across her home state. She began writing for Oregon Ducks on SI in 2021. Currently a morning talk show host and sports reporter for KOIN 6 and Portland's CW in Portland, Oregon, Ally is engrained in her community. Finding and sharing stories that highlight the unique culture and connectivity sports creates is a part of her DNA. She frequently contributes sports content to KOIN's broadcast and streaming platforms while hosting talk show "Everyday Northwest" and video podcast "Tower Talk Live" every weekday. With Portland being her third-worked television market (second in Oregon), Osborne brings hard-news and feature-reporting experience to compliment her expertise for sports storytelling. Her journalistic endeavors and art creations (many of which are inspired by the Oregon Ducks) can be found on her social media pages. Ally graduated from the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communications in 2021 after interning for the Oregon Sports Network with experience working on live sporting broadcasts for ESPN, FOX Sports, the PAC 12 Network, and Runnerspace. 

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