Oregon defensive tackle Bear Alexander is spending the offseason around some of the best pass rushers in football, and that could matter in a big way once the Ducks kick off the season.
Alexander shared on social media that he attended the annual sack summit in Las Vegas, where he was around hosts Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders, Cameron Jordan of the New Orleans Saints and free agent Von Miller. Crosby and Jordan are both All-Pros, while Miller is a two-time Super Bowl winner.
Alexander made it clear he valued the experience.
"Real ones pass the game on. Appreciate the OGs for the knowledge and having us," Alexander posted on social media.
Real ones pass the game on. Film➡️Feild Appreciate the OGs for the knowledge and having us 💪🏾@oregonfootball @VonMiller @CrosbyMaxx @camjordan94 #PassItDown #FreeGame #PourIntoTheNext #SackSummit26 pic.twitter.com/8BIzHPQTUK
For Oregon, Alexander has already become a steady presence in the middle of the defense. At 6-3 and 302 pounds, he does the heavy lifting inside for Dan Lanning’s group, shutting down run lanes and anchoring the interior. He heads into the 2026 season with 31 stops and a reputation as one of the nation’s toughest run defenders.
The pass-rush side of his game has lagged behind that reputation. Alexander has recorded 18 pressures in his career, including time at USC, and the source of that gap is pretty clear: he wins with power and heavy hands, but he still needs more tools to work through blocks.
That is why the trip to Las Vegas stands out. Learning from Crosby, Jordan and Miller gives Lanning, new defensive coordinator Chris Hampton and defensive line coach Tony Tuioti reason to believe Alexander is serious about sharpening that part of his game.
And the timing lines up neatly with Oregon’s opener on Sept. 5 at Autzen Stadium.
Boise State comes in with one of the country’s most experienced offensive lines, and the matchup already has some edge to it. Broncos coach Spencer Danielson drew attention with his blunt comments about the Week 1 game, and his place in the series is a notable one: he is the only Boise State coach to lose to Oregon. Chris Petersen and Bryan Harsin both beat the Ducks, with Petersen doing it twice, including once in Eugene.
Alexander should see plenty of action against Boise State, including matchups with returning guard Roger Carreon and center Jason Steele. He could also get more one-on-one chances, since the Broncos will have to account for Oregon edge rushers Teitum Tuioti and Matayo Uiagalelei.
If Alexander can turn even a little of what he picked up from those three NFL veterans into production, the Ducks’ season opener could be the first place it shows.
In Other News...
Oregon Just Got An Early Recruiting Signal At A Crucial Position
Oregon got an encouraging early read on one of the class of 2028s more coveted pass rushers when George Parkinson IV trimmed his list to six schools, putting the Ducks alongside Tennessee, LSU, Penn State, Ohio State and Texas A&M. The four-star EDGE from Pennsylvania is already drawing national attention, and Oregons presence in that group matters because the Ducks are clearly looking ahead at a position that will need fresh talent before long.
The interest is easy to understand from Oregons side. The Ducks are projecting real turnover at EDGE after 2026, with Teitum Tuioti and Matayo Uiagalelei both expected to move on, and the portal could create even more uncertainty on top of that. Parkinson IV has not set a commitment date, so this one figures to stay on the radar for a while, but getting into the final six this early is a useful signal for a program trying to stay ahead of the curve. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Just Pulled A Proven Bat From A Team Ducks Fans Love Beating
USCs roster turnover keeps rolling after the 2026 season, and the latest hit comes from a familiar place for Oregon fans. Infielder Adrian Lopez is out after a productive year in Los Angeles, joining a Trojans exodus that has already been fueled by both the MLB Draft and the transfer portal. For a Ducks program that has spent plenty of time trying to stay ahead of USC in the Big Ten, it is the kind of addition that immediately stands out.
Lopez brings the sort of bat Oregon has been looking to add, coming off a season in which he was one of USCs more reliable run producers and also gave the Trojans a lift in the postseason. The move also lands against the backdrop of a USC roster that has thinned dramatically since the season ended, with the portal and the draft taking a heavy toll as July 11 approached. For Oregon, the appeal is obvious, even if the full impact of the move will have to wait until the next round of roster movement settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Bear Alexander Is Suddenly Getting The Kind Of Hype Georgia Fans Notice
Bear Alexanders name is getting a fresh round of attention this summer, and not just because Oregon enters EA Sports College Football 27 as the games highest-rated team at 91 overall. The veteran defensive lineman comes in at 90 himself, a reflection of the kind of impact he made after settling in with the Ducks and turning in a strong 2025 season that earned him Second-team All-Big Ten honors.
For Oregon, the intrigue is obvious: Alexander is entering his redshirt senior year in 2026 with the sort of profile that makes a defense look deeper and more dangerous on paper. For Georgia fans, the recognition is familiar in a different way, since he has already worn the colors of both Georgia and USC before landing in Eugene, and the latest ratings suggest he has become exactly the kind of interior force that tends to draw notice wherever he goes. [Read more 🡒]