Oregon’s 2026 offense is coming into focus, and the biggest name on the board is the easiest one to place. Dante Moore is the Ducks’ quarterback, full stop.
After guiding Oregon to a 13-2 record and a College Football Playoff semifinal in his first season as the starter, Moore has already done enough to quiet any debate. He finished 2025 fourth nationally with a 71.8 completion percentage, the fourth-best mark in UO single-season history, and added 30 passing touchdowns and two rushing scores for 3,721 total yards.
With that kind of production, he could have gone pro. Instead, he chose to stay in Eugene and keep pushing Oregon toward its first national championship.
Behind him, though, the depth chart is still sorting itself out. Former Nebraska starter Dylan Raiola is part of the QB2 conversation, and he arrives with the hope of following the same developmental path as Moore and Dillon Gabriel, both of whom spent a year learning behind starting quarterbacks.
Still, that doesn’t hand Raiola the backup job. Brock Thomas is in the mix too after serving as Moore’s primary backup and spending years in the Ducks’ offense, and rising sophomore Akili Smith Jr. has also drawn strong praise during fall camp.
The backfield looks much more settled. Oregon is expected to lean on Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. as a two-man punch after both sophomores turned in freshman seasons that went well beyond expectations.
Davison appears to have the edge for RB1 after piling up 667 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, with his work in short-yardage and red-zone situations standing out. Hill was just as productive in his own way, finishing with 656 yards and five touchdowns.
Colorado transfer Simeon Price and Da’Jaun Riggs add depth behind them.
Receiver is where the competition gets loud. Dakorien Moore is projected to start after a freshman season that included 34 catches for 497 yards and three touchdowns, plus 49 rushing yards and a score.
Now back to full strength after dealing with a late-season knee issue, he looks positioned to become one of Dante Moore’s top targets. Evan Stewart is also expected to return to the starting lineup after missing all of 2025 with a torn patellar tendon, giving Oregon another proven perimeter threat, though his workload will need to be watched after a full year away.
There’s more young talent pushing for snaps as well. Gatlin Bair could earn rotational work, while redshirt sophomore Dillon Gresham adds depth on the outside. Freshmen Jalen Lott and Messiah Hampton are also names to watch as fall camp plays out.
The most interesting battle may be in the slot. Jeremiah McClellan and UAB transfer Iverson Hooks are fighting for that role, and McClellan has the stronger recent production after breaking out in 2025 with 38 catches for 557 yards and three touchdowns.
His 78-yard outing against Washington was one of the best moments of his sophomore year. Hooks brings proven FBS starting experience and a knack for creating after the catch, so this one is far from settled.
For now, the projected trio at receiver is Dakorien Moore at X, Evan Stewart at Z and Jeremiah McClellan in the slot.
Tight end will have a new face stepping into a bigger spotlight after Kenyon Sadiq’s departure to the NFL. That player is redshirt junior Jamari Johnson, who is projected to start after catching 32 passes for 510 yards and three touchdowns as Oregon’s primary backup in 2025. He enters the year on the John Mackey and Lombardi Award watch lists, and the Ducks are counting on his experience to carry the position forward.
Up front, Oregon has more certainty inside than it does at tackle. Iapani “Poncho” Laloulu and Dave Iuli give the line two established anchors.
Laloulu started every game in 2025 and is on the Rimington and Outland Trophy watch lists; he’ll again handle the blocking calls and hold down the middle. Iuli is projected at right guard after years of Big Ten experience and brings a physical edge to the interior.
The tackle spots remain unsettled. Fox Crader and true freshman Tommy Tofi are battling at left tackle, with Crader’s familiarity in the system working in his favor and Tofi’s 6-6, 340-pound frame turning heads.
Coaches have already noticed his early pass-protection work. On the other side, Gernorris Wilson and Kawika Rogers are competing at right tackle, and Wilson has the edge for now because of his lateral mobility.
At left guard, redshirt freshman Douglas Utu and veteran transfer Michael Bennett III are still fighting for the job.
For the moment, Oregon’s projected offensive line reads: Fox Crader at left tackle, Douglas Utu at left guard, Iapani “Poncho” Laloulu at center, Dave Iuli at right guard and Gernorris Wilson at right tackle.
In Other News...
Dante Moore Is Already Hinting At Oregons Next Difference-Maker
Fall camp has already given Oregon a fresh glimpse of what Dante Moore thinks could become a major piece of the offense. The Ducks quarterback has taken notice of incoming wide receiver Jalen Lott, pointing to how quickly he has picked up the playbook and how hard he has gone to work since arriving in Eugene. For a receiver trying to earn trust in a crowded room, that kind of early attention from the quarterback matters.
Moore also has singled out Lotts speed and catching ability, and the early practice showing has only reinforced the buzz around him. Oregon expects Lott to be part of a wide receiver group that already includes returning talent, so the challenge now is turning those flashes into a role that shows up when the games count. If the camp progress carries over, the Ducks may already have another offensive threat on their hands. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons Linebacker Room Is Taking Shape Around One Crucial Camp Challenge
Fall camp has started to clarify Oregons linebacker picture, and Brian Michalowski is seeing the kind of steady progress a position coach wants this time of year. Jerry Mixon has stood out for his growing leadership and the confidence hes bringing onto the field, while Devon Jacksons health has allowed him to stay consistently involved in practice. Add in the early work from the freshmen and the flexibility Nasir Wyatt brings as an edge defender, and the Ducks are getting a better sense of who can handle the demands of the room.
Michalowskis emphasis has been less about flash than about the habits that make the group function, especially communication and development driven by the players themselves. For a linebacker room that still has pieces sorting into place, that matters because the position asks for more than athleticism. Oregon wants clarity, accountability and voices on the field, and camp is giving the staff a chance to see which players are ready to help provide all three. [Read more 🡒]
Former Oregon Ducks Are Making NFL Teams Take Notice
A wave of former Oregon Ducks is making its presence felt early in the 2026 NFL preseason, giving the program another reminder of how much professional talent it continues to send into the league. Among the early standouts are rookies Noah Whittington and Malik Benson, both 2026 draft picks whose first exhibition showings offered an encouraging glimpse of what they might bring at the next level.
The buzz has not been limited to offense, either. Defenders Bryce Boettcher, Dillon Thieneman and Jabbar Muhammad have also drawn notice as they work through roster battles and try to turn strong preseason moments into spots on regular-season depth charts. For Oregon fans, it is the kind of early August progress report that can make the coming weeks worth tracking closely. [Read more 🡒]