At Oregon media day on Aug. 3, one detail kept surfacing about Devon Jackson, and it wasn’t about tackles or coverage assignments. It was about speed. Not just linebacker speed, either - the fastest player on the team.
That’s a wild label on any roster, but especially for a No. 2 Oregon squad packed with high-end athleticism and a program that routinely sends skill players to the NFL. For a linebacker to be the guy everyone points to in a footrace says plenty about what Jackson can bring to the Ducks in 2026, assuming he stays on the field.
The latest episode of Ducks Confidential digs into exactly why that matters. A linebacker with cornerback-like burst can wreck an offense before it gets started.
Screens lose their timing. Tight ends never find room.
Running backs get swallowed up in space. Even quarterbacks looking to escape a broken pocket have to think twice.
Co-host Aaron Fentress, who covers the Ducks for The Oregonian/OregonLive, said the repeated praise stood out immediately.
“I can’t remember the last time I’ve ever heard anyone on any team ever say our fastest player, especially on a team filled with fast players, is a linebacker,” Fentress said.
It’s the kind of line that lands because it feels so rare. And for Oregon coach Dan Lanning, Jackson’s speed isn’t just a nice trait - it’s something that could reshape what the defense is capable of doing.
The only real question has never been talent. It’s been health.
Jackson has dealt with injuries during his time in Eugene, and those issues got in the way of what many expected would be a starting role alongside Bryce Boettcher at inside linebacker in 2025. Instead, injuries and Jerry Mixon’s rise changed the picture. Boettcher is now with Indianapolis in the NFL, and Jackson is expected to step into that opening.
The Ducks have been waiting for the version of Jackson they thought they were getting when the 6-foot-2, 235-pound four-star recruit arrived in 2022. The physical tools have always been obvious. The body just hasn’t always cooperated.
George Wrighster, who co-hosts Ducks Confidential and also hosts the Unafraid Show, put the challenge plainly.
“Well, I’m expecting him, number one, to be healthy and then from there show everybody why the coaches are looking at him as a physical freak,” the former UO and NFL tight end said. “We’ve seen when linebackers have been able, like (Baltimore linebacker) Roquan Smith and other guys who have been so fast that they can get from sideline to sideline.
That shortens plays. That allows you to be great.”
That Roquan Smith comparison says a lot about the ceiling here. If Jackson’s speed translates the way Oregon believes it can, and if he pairs that with Mixon, a strong defensive front and a quality secondary, there’s a real path to him playing his way into All-Big Ten Conference recognition.
For Oregon, it’s a rare kind of defensive piece: a linebacker who can change the geometry of the field. And if he’s finally healthy, the Ducks may have something they haven’t had in years.
In Other News...
Oregon May Have Found An Unexpected Linebacker Answer
Bleu Dantzler arrived in Eugene as an unusual addition to Oregons linebacker room this offseason, bringing a cross-rival transfer story that already makes him one of the more interesting names in camp. A former Oregon State linebacker, Dantzler has spent the summer trying to carve out a place on a defense that is still sorting through its depth, and he has apparently made a strong impression on the coaches watching him every day.
Dan Lanning and defensive ends coach Kamran Araghi have both pointed to Dantzlers work ethic and the progress he has made during fall camp, a good sign for a player looking to turn an opportunity into a role. For Oregon, the appeal is obvious: if Dantzler keeps developing, he could become a useful piece in the front seven as the Ducks get closer to the season. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Lanning Likes What He Sees From Oregon But Two Concerns Remain
After Oregons first fall camp scrimmage, Dan Lanning came away encouraged by what he saw on both sides of the ball, especially the way the Ducks carried themselves physically and defended with intent. The session was closed to the media and public, but Lanning still had enough to point to a group that looks like it has spent its summer doing the work needed to arrive ready for camp.
Even so, the review was not a clean sweep. Lanning flagged ball security and special teams as areas that still need attention, a reminder that August evaluations are as much about identifying leaks as they are celebrating progress. Oregon will keep pushing through practice, with media access coming later in the week, and those next sessions should offer a better sense of how quickly the Ducks can tighten up the details that matter most. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons Quarterback Room Gives The Ducks A Rare Edge In 2026
The quarterback room has become one of Oregons most intriguing strengths heading into 2026, with PFF ranking it as the deepest in the country. Dante Moore sits at the center of it after a strong 2025 season, and his decision to return rather than enter the NFL Draft gives the Ducks a proven starter around whom everything else can settle. For a program used to reloading at a high level, having that kind of certainty under center is a luxury that changes the tone of the offseason.
Dylan Raiola adds another layer of security and intrigue after arriving as a former Nebraska starter, giving Oregon a backup with real experience and the upside to be much more than that. Behind him, Brock Thomas and redshirt freshman Akili Smith Jr. give the Ducks more names to work with than most teams can claim anywhere on the roster. It is the kind of depth that can keep Oregon steady if the season turns volatile, while also setting up a quarterback conversation that may not be settled anytime soon. [Read more 🡒]