Oregon’s preseason buzz got another jolt when the Associated Press released its Preseason All-American teams, and the Ducks landed three players on the first team: Dante Moore, A’Mauri Washington and Koi Perich.
That kind of recognition fits the picture around this roster. Oregon is coming off back-to-back trips to the College Football Playoff, and the momentum only grew when Moore, Matayo Uiagalelei and Washington chose to return for one more run. The Ducks were already ranked No. 2 in the Coaches Poll and AP Poll, and now the individual honors match the team hype.
For Oregon, everything starts with Moore. After a breakout season in which he threw for 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, he entered the conversation as a potential No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Instead, he’s back, and the AP voters put him on the first team at quarterback after he edged Trinidad Chambliss.
Washington joined him there on the defensive side. The interior force turned down what could have been a first-round NFL path to chase a national title one more time, and he was named a first-team All-American defensive tackle alongside Oklahoma’s David Stone.
Perich is the newest big addition in the secondary, and Oregon expects him to step into a major role after the departure of Dillon Thieneman, last year’s headline portal pickup at safety. The AP gave Perich first-team All-American honors too, pairing him with Alabama safety Bray Hubbard.
There were a couple of Oregon-related placements that stood out on the second team as well. Brandon Finney Jr was tabbed as a second-team All-American at cornerback, behind Leonard Moore and Ellis Robinson IV, a placement that looks questionable after the season he put together. He was the kind of corner who could erase an opponent’s wideouts when nobody else could.
The biggest omission for the Ducks was tight end Jamari Johnson, who didn’t make either team. The source of that snub appears to be opportunity more than talent, since Johnson was backing up Kenyon Sadiq while Trey’Dez Green and Terrance Carter Jr were starters for their teams. Even so, the expectation is that Johnson can put up the numbers to get himself on the list by season’s end.
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Oregon Secondary Suddenly Has Two Stars Fans Need To Watch
Oregons secondary is drawing national attention before the 2026 season even gets rolling, and it starts with Brandon Finney Jr. The sophomore cornerback is back after a standout freshman year in which he appeared in all 15 games and earned Second-team All-Big Ten honors, a strong enough debut to land him on CBS Sports Preseason Second-team All-American list for the coming season.
Koi Perich gives the Ducks another headline name to watch. The transfer safety arrived from Minnesota as the projected answer to the spot vacated by Dillon Thieneman, and CBS Sports pegged him as a Preseason First-team All-American. With Finney on one side and Perich patrolling the back end, Oregon suddenly has the kind of star power in the secondary that can change how opponents attack it. [Read more 🡒]
Familiar Oregon Name Is Suddenly Creating Buzz At Oregon State
A familiar name from the Oregon football orbit is popping up across the river in Corvallis, where freshman defensive back Kai Wheaton has been turning heads during fall camp at Oregon State. The three-star recruit from Texas arrives with a little extra attention attached to his last name, but it has been his work ethic, experience and steady approach that have coaches and teammates talking as the Beavers sort through a young secondary.
Oregon States defensive backfield is competitive and still taking shape, which gives Wheaton a real opportunity to carve out a role early if his progress keeps matching the early buzz. For Ducks fans, it is another reminder that the Wheaton family name still carries weight in this region, even if the newest chapter is being written in orange and black rather than green. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons Young Secondary Is Giving Ducks Fans A Real Reason To Watch
After the 12th practice of fall camp, Oregon cornerbacks coach Rashad Wadood had plenty to say about a secondary that is starting to look like a real strength in the making. The Ducks have spent camp sorting through a young group, and Wadood pointed to the progress of sophomore Brandon Finney Jr. and Na'eem Offord, while also praising Ify Obidegwu for the way he has emerged as a leader.
There has been more good news beyond the top names, too. Dorian Brew has shown noticeable improvement after missing last season, freshman Davon Benjamin has already displayed some versatility, and Wadood said the bigger story is the collective buy-in across the room. The standard in that defensive backs group has gotten more unified, and for a defense that wants to keep rising, that kind of internal growth can matter as much as any one standout. [Read more 🡒]