It was no secret that the Oregon Ducks ' 2025 recruiting class would have an impact on the field. They reeled in the No. 5 class in 247 Sports' rankings, coming in behind fellow college football powers in Texas , Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State . But it was how quick that they did that surprised people — first within the program, and, soon enough, on a national level.
Running back Jordon Davison kicked it off, taking six carries and turning them into three short-yardage touchdowns against Montana State in Week 1. The overall depth was on full display in the 59-13 victory, but also the amount of true freshman that saw action.
Through the first six games at nearly every position group, there was a first-year player standing out.
Wide receiver Dakorien Moore is currently leading the Ducks in catches (23) and receiving yards (335) while reaching the end zone a total of three times as quarterback Dante Moore 's go-to target. He and running back Dierre Hill Jr. provided significant contributions in Oregon's 30-24 double overtime win over Penn State : 183 combined yards and a Hill touchdown, to be exact.
A true freshman who's emerged in recent weeks has been cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. , who's seen increased reps as the season's gone along.
Though he's been targeted just 15 times, he's surrendered just three catches and has yet to give up a touchdown. Per TruMedia, he's allowing just 0.3 yards per snap in coverage and an 11.8 passer rating when targeted — marks that are synonymous with the best cornerbacks in the nation. His pick-six against Indiana in Week 7, though coming in a loss, was one of the most electric plays that any Duck has made all season.
But is anyone in Oregon's standout freshman class taking any time to rest on their laurels? According to Finney, certainly not. They're looking for something more.
"It's not really a pride thing, it's what's expected," he said during Wednesday's press availability. "You come here knowing that it's a young team, and you expect to play. So yeah, it's not really a pride thing, it's just that we came here to do a job. We're trying to win a national championship. We don't care how young we are, we know that our impact has to be high-level."
Eight weeks in, the biggest goal that head coach Dan Lanning set out for the program in 2025 is still alive: a national title. And while it is a young team as Finney noted, these young players have shown that they're ready for the big stage.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Brandon Finney Jr. takes pride in being part of standout 2025 class
