The NCAA’s latest eligibility ruling has already started reshaping rosters, and Oregon looks like one of the first programs ready to take advantage.
A Colorado judge granted a class-wide preliminary injunction on Friday night that gives every player from the 2022 recruiting class another year of eligibility, instantly putting hundreds of players who thought their college careers were over back into play. For teams with roster room, that opens the door to a fast-moving market - and the Ducks are clearly keeping tabs on it.
One name linked to Oregon early in the process is Memphis guard Dug McDaniel. According to his agent Scott Nichols, McDaniel has drawn interest from Arizona State, Stanford, Auburn, Iowa State, USC, Cincinnati, NC State, Utah, Oregon and Duquesne.
McDaniel’s path has been a busy one. He first broke through at Michigan in the 2022-23 season, when he averaged 8.6 points per game. He followed that with a big sophomore jump, putting up 16.3 points per game and looking like a player on the rise before transferring to Kansas State.
His season at Kansas State didn’t match that breakout. McDaniel averaged 11.4 points per game and posted a career-low mark from 3-point range.
He found his footing again this past season at Memphis under Penny Hardaway. McDaniel averaged 13.9 points per game and shot 32.9% from 3, production that should make him appealing to teams searching for more guard help.
Oregon has that kind of opening. Dana Altman’s backcourt already includes Fred Payne, Tyrone Riley, Jerry Easter, Jasper Johnson and possibly Wei Lin, but adding another scorer who can stretch the floor would give the Ducks another useful piece. If McDaniel gets back to the level he showed at Michigan, he would fit right into that mix.
In Other News...
Oregon May Have A Late Backcourt Decision To Make
A federal court ruling this week added an unexpected wrinkle to Oregons offseason roster planning, with a U.S. District Court judge granting a preliminary injunction that requires the NCAA to declare eligible all high school class of 2022 athletes who used up four seasons of eligibility this spring. For a Ducks program that has already largely assembled its roster but kept a few openings available, the decision arrives at a time when backcourt depth is still worth monitoring.
One name to keep in mind is Takai Simpkins, the former Oregon guard who was part of the case. Even with the portal already in motion and the roster picture mostly settled, the ruling creates a late-stage possibility the Ducks may have to weigh, especially if they want to preserve flexibility in the guard rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons Tight End Battle Could Change The Ducks Offense Fast
The tight end room is shaping up as one of the more interesting parts of Oregons 2026 roster, with five-star newcomer Kendre Harrison already looking like a player who could push for immediate snaps. He brings the kind of blend the Ducks value there, with enough blocking ability to hold up in the run game and enough receiving skill to be more than just a line-of-scrimmage option. Add in his athletic profile, plus the expectation that he will also spend time around college basketball, and Oregon has a rare kind of mismatch piece entering the program.
Jamari Johnson gives the Ducks a proven returning option, which makes the battle feel less about finding one usable tight end and more about sorting out how quickly the offense can take advantage of two different skill sets. If Harrison adapts fast, Oregon could open the season with a much more dangerous group at the position than most teams in the country can match. The bigger question now is not whether the Ducks will have talent there, but how soon they can turn it into a real edge on offense. [Read more 🡒]