Oregon cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. is already getting national recognition before he’s even finished his second college season.
PFF college placed Finney third on its list of the top returning cornerbacks for the 2026 season, slotting the Ducks defender behind only Notre Dame’s Leonard Moore and Alabama’s Dijon Lee Jr. The rest of the top 10 included Jontez Williams of USC, Kelley Jones of Mississippi State, Jamari Sharpe of Indiana, Jyaire Hill of Michigan, Evan Johnson of BYU, DJ Pickett of LSU and Ellis Robinson IV of Georgia.
For PFF, Finney’s first year in Eugene did plenty of the talking. Max Chadwick wrote, “His 42.3 passer rating allowed was the lowest among qualified Big Ten outside cornerbacks. He also missed just four tackles all season and recorded three interceptions, two of which came in his standout CFP performance against Texas Tech,” and added, “(The Ducks secondary) should remain excellent shape with Finney leading the way.”
That breakout season started with Oregon bringing him in as a four-star recruit in its 2025 high school class. As a true freshman in 2025, Finney played in all 15 games and piled up 42 total tackles, three interceptions, one of them returned for a touchdown, eight passes defended, three tackles for loss, one sack, one fumble recovery and two forced fumbles.
His work earned him Second-team All-Big Ten honors, along with the 2026 Orange Bowl Defensive MVP award after those two interceptions against Texas Tech. Oregon’s defense was dominant in that game, shutting out the Red Raiders on the way to a College Football Playoff semifinal appearance.
The Ducks appear set up for another strong defensive season in 2026, with the front expected to be led by outside linebackers Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti, plus defensive lineman A'Mauri Washington.
Oregon’s defense gave up just 17.9 points per game in 2025, the 12 fewest in FBS. There will be a new face in charge next season, though. Tosh Lupoi had been the Ducks’ defensive coordinator since Dan Lanning arrived in 2022, but after the 2025 season he was hired by California as its next head coach.
Rather than look outside the program, Lanning turned to someone already on staff and promoted Chris Hampton to defensive coordinator. Hampton has been with Oregon since 2023 as co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach under Lupoi.
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 🡒]
Oregon Is Suddenly In The Mix For A Proven Guard Again
A court ruling in Colorado has reopened the college basketball market in a way few programs could have predicted, giving players from the 2022 recruiting class another year of NCAA eligibility and prompting a fresh round of roster shuffling. For teams like Oregon, it has created an opportunity to revisit experienced backcourt options at a time when proven guards are always in demand.
Among the players drawing attention is Memphis guard Dug McDaniel, whose path has already included stops at Michigan and Kansas State before his time with the Tigers. Oregon is reportedly among the programs showing interest, and the broader appeal is obvious: a seasoned ballhandler suddenly available again, with multiple schools now trying to sort out where he might land next. [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 🡒]