Oregon’s receiver room has already started making an impression on the defensive side, and Chris Hampton didn’t hide why. After the first day of fall practice on Thursday, the Ducks’ defensive coordinator pointed straight to the talent on the outside - especially true freshman Jalen Lott - as a major reason for optimism.
Hampton is entering his first year as Oregon’s defensive coordinator after serving as the Ducks’ co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach from 2023-2025, so he’s seen plenty around this program. Even with that background, Lott has clearly caught his eye.
“I think he’s got a ton of potential. He’s got a tremendous catch radius.
He can accelerate. He’s got really good hands.
He can start and stop. He’s got really good burst,” Hampton said about Lott.
“Going against all of our receivers in practice, they make some plays on us. It’s like ‘I’m glad they’re on our team.’
It’s a challenge for us each and every day…. Jalen has looked really good so far.”
Lott arrived as one of Oregon’s biggest prizes in the class of 2026. Rivals ranked the 6-0, 170-pound wideout as a five-star recruit and the No. 3 receiver in the class, and he backed that billing up as a senior at Panther Creek High School in 2025-26 with 87 catches for 1,280 yards and 20 touchdowns in 12 games.
He’s not the only name drawing attention in a group that could end up being one of the best receiver rooms in the country. Dakorien Moore, Oregon’s top-rated receiver from the 2025 class, made an immediate impact as a true freshman last season, finishing with 34 receptions for 497 yards and three touchdowns. The next question is whether Moore can take another step and become the Ducks’ No. 1 option this fall.
Jeremiah McClellan is another returning piece with a chance to make noise in 2026. He finished as Oregon’s third-leading receiver in 2025 with 38 receptions, 557 yards and three touchdowns.
There’s also the matter of what the Ducks lost. Malik Benson and tight end Kenyon Sadiq were Oregon’s top two receiving leaders last season, and both are now in the NFL. That opens the door for others to take on bigger roles.
Evan Stewart could be one of those players. He didn’t play last season after suffering a torn patellar tendon before the 2025 campaign began, but he’s aiming for a strong return in 2026. In 2024, Stewart caught 48 passes for 613 yards and five touchdowns for Oregon.
And then there’s Dante Moore, who gives the whole operation a chance to hum. The Oregon quarterback started all 15 games last season and threw for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns. He had the option to enter the 2026 NFL Draft as a projected top-five pick, but instead chose to come back for another season.
With Moore back and so many targets available on the edges, Oregon’s offense has the pieces to be dangerous again. The only real question now is how high that ceiling can go.
In Other News...
Dan Lanning Makes Oregons Stance On NCAA Rule Change Clear
The NCAAs switch to a new 5-for-5 eligibility model has changed the conversation around roster building across college football, but Oregons outlook appears relatively unchanged for now. Instead of the old redshirt setup, players now get five years of eligibility, and the familiar four-game limit for freshmen to preserve redshirt status is gone, a move that should make life easier for coaches trying to manage depth and developmental timelines.
Dan Lanning made clear the Ducks do not expect the rule to have much immediate impact on their program this season because of the specific eligibility restrictions already in place. For Oregon, the bigger picture may be about how the change streamlines planning over time, even if it does not alter the teams short-term approach as it prepares for the upcoming year. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Lanning Just Ignited A New Oregon Mount Rushmore Debate
Dan Lanning did what every Oregon fan eventually does when the conversation turns nostalgic and impossible: he tried to pick a Mount Rushmore. The Ducks coach put Marcus Mariota, Haloti Ngata, De'Anthony Thomas and LaMichael James on his list, a mix that captures both the programs peak star power and the different eras that helped define it. Mariota remains Oregons only Heisman Trophy winner, Ngata is already in the College Football Hall of Fame, and Thomas and James each left a lasting imprint on the program in their own way.
The interesting part is not so much the names as the debate they naturally reopen, especially when a coach is the one doing the choosing. Lanning admitted the fourth spot was the toughest call and settled on James, which is exactly the kind of pick that gets Ducks fans arguing over legacy, production and pure memory all over again. Oregon has had enough great players to make any four-man list feel incomplete, and this one is no exception. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons Offense Faces A New Test With Playoff Stakes Rising
Drew Mehringer enters his first season as Oregons offensive coordinator with a familiar assignment and a familiar mandate: keep the Ducks offense moving without asking it to become something it is not. The staff has worked to preserve continuity from the previous system, and with quarterback Dante Moore and senior center Iapani Laloulu back in the fold, there is a sense that Oregon can lean on stability as it prepares for another playoff push.
Even so, Mehringer knows the job is not just about maintaining what already works. Oregon wants cleaner decision-making, fewer turnovers and sharper execution once it reaches the red zone, and those areas tend to separate a good offense from one that can carry postseason expectations. Finding the right balance between adding complexity and making sure players can execute it will be one of the seasons quiet but important tests. [Read more 🡒]