Oregon’s freshman defensive back room keeps looking more dangerous, and Davon Benjamin is the latest reason why.
The Ducks brought in the versatile four-star out of Oaks Christian High in Westlake Village, California, after he starred at wide receiver, locked down opponents at cornerback and even handled safety duties for a Lions program that regularly draws major coaching attention. Dan Lanning has been among the visitors to the Ventura/Los Angeles County line in the past, and now he’s seeing firsthand what Benjamin can do in Eugene.
During Oregon’s second week of fall camp, Lanning laid out how the Ducks are using him.
“He's played primarily STAR for us in fall, but he's learned some other positions as well," Lannning said. "He's able to move around.
I'll say this: the guy's really hungry to learn. He spends every minute, extra meetings, extra time.”
“He's, again, he's one of those guys that's obsessed with football and has a great skill set, and he's definitely going to be able to help us," he continued. "And as he continues to learn more and more, the more he grows, the more he'll be able to help his team.”
That kind of versatility is exactly why Benjamin is such an intriguing fit. The STAR spot is built for a defender who can do a little of everything, and Oregon appears ready to use him that way. For a secondary already loaded with talent, it gives the Ducks another piece who can move around and create problems.
Benjamin may also be part of something bigger down the road. He looks poised to pair with five-star safety Jett Washington, the prized Bishop Gorman product out of Las Vegas who already turned heads during a fall camp scrimmage on Aug. 10 with an easy one-handed interception.
Washington’s size makes him a very different kind of presence than Benjamin. At 6-5, he brings a towering frame to the back end, along with the athleticism and ball skills that have people talking. He’s also the nephew of the late Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant.
Together, Benjamin and Washington give Oregon the look of a major secondary duo if everything stays on track.
For now, Benjamin’s STAR/Nickel role could matter right away for the nation’s No. 2 ranked team in the USA Today’s Coaches Poll. Oregon opens against Boise State, a team that wants to pound away on the ground and wear opponents down in the trenches. Broncos coach Spencer Danielson will surely try to follow that blueprint after Boise State’s 2024 loss at Autzen Stadium.
Benjamin’s value there is obvious. He can help Oregon add another body near the box against the run, then drop back when the Ducks need to deal with Boise State wide receiver Cameron Bates.
The same early-season logic applies to Oregon’s first road game at Oklahoma State. The Cowboys are trying to run the North Texas high-powered Air Raid offense under new head coach Eric Morris, and Benjamin should have another chance to get on the field early and use that all-around skill set against a Big 12 opponent.
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Dante Moore is part of the reason the ceiling feels so high, with the quarterback already drawing attention as one of the early Heisman Trophy favorites. Oregon is also expected to sit inside the top 5 when the Associated Press preseason poll comes out, another reminder that the Ducks are entering camp with expectations far beyond the usual preseason optimism and with the kind of national attention that only grows louder once the season gets moving. [Read more 🡒]