The latest wave of Oregon freshmen is already making noise in fall camp, and a few names are starting to separate themselves as Week 3 wraps up. With another top-five recruiting class in the building, the Ducks are once again asking the same question they asked a year ago: which true freshmen are ready to matter now?
Jalen Lott is the first name that keeps coming up. The five-star receiver enters a different setup than Dakorien Moore did last season, since Oregon’s receiver room is healthier this time around.
Still, Lott has found ways to stand out. He’s shown up in the Ducks’ weekly practice highlight clips with athletic plays, and he’s also drawn strong praise from both the staff and quarterback Dante Moore.
During his Aug. 18 press conference, Moore said Lott has been taking extra film sessions with coaches and getting extra work in with him after practice.
“He’s someone that’s gonna be very special for this program,” Moore said.
Another freshman who has climbed into the conversation is Anthony ‘Tank’ Jones. The five-star edge rusher has the tools to become a key rotational piece on the defensive line, and defensive line coach Tony Tuioti has made it clear he likes what Jones can offer, including his flexibility across positions.
Week 3 brought more attention to Jones’ physical growth, with both Tuioti and Dan Lanning noting that he’s up to 300 pounds. Tuioti also said Jones is still developing into his body, but the way the staff has talked about him suggests there’s a path to meaningful snaps ahead.
“It was really clear early to us, that this guy's going to be a guy that's going to be bigger, and let's not limit that because we need big guys that have explosive power and quickness like him,” Lanning said. “And he's a guy that can be outside, inside, and that variety is really good for us.”
“Now he's really embraced the role of being inside, and he's a guy that I think can make an impact and be a guy who can play snaps for us this year if he continues to grow the way he's been growing so far,” he added.
Up front, Oregon is dealing with turnover after losing three of its five starters from last season’s offensive line, the group that was a finalist for the Joe Moore Award. Lanning said at the start of camp that the Ducks could rotate anywhere from six to eight players on the line, which opens the door for development but also makes the climb steeper for true freshmen trying to lock down steady roles.
Even so, Immanuel Iheanacho and Tommy Tofi have already flashed enough to get noticed.
“Speaking to Manny and Tommy, they have come out hitting the ground running. They’re both, like I said earlier in spring, physically gifted,” offensive line coach A’lique Terry said.
“They love the game. They’re constantly with each other … They know their role could end up being much larger later on.
As much as they put in it, could maybe happen earlier. Who knows.”
The secondary has its own freshman watch list, too. Brandon Finney Jr. broke through as a true freshman in 2025 and returns after taking on an immediate starting job. With Finney back, Oregon still has room for another corner or defensive back to rise alongside him, and Carl Williams IV and Na’eem Offord have already been getting attention.
But Davon Benjamin is making his own case. Lanning said Benjamin has been working primarily at STAR during fall camp while also learning other spots, and that his approach has stood out.
“He's played primarily STAR for us in fall, but he's learned some other positions as well,” Lanning said. “He's able to move around.
I'll say this: the guy's really hungry to learn. He spends every minute in 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.”
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