Predicting the offensive starters for the Oregon Ducks ahead of spring season

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Predicting the offensive starters for the Oregon Ducks ahead of spring season

Zachary Neel, Ducks Wire

Thu, Feb 27, 2025 ·

6 min read

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We are just under two months away from the Oregon Ducks' annual Spring Game, which will be hosted inside Autzen Stadium at 1 p.m. PT on Saturday, Apr. 26, and only a few weeks away from practices starting in Eugene.

An exciting season lies ahead for the Ducks , who are looking to build on a historic 2024 season that ended with a frustrating loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. The roster at Oregon will look wildly different in 2025 than it did a year ago, with new faces at nearly every position on the roster. Most notably, former Duck stars like Dillon Gabriel, Jordan James, Terrance Ferguson, Tez Johnson, Josh Conerly, Jordan Burch, and Jeffrey Bassa are all off to the NFL, so Dan Lanning and the Ducks have some big shoes to fill.

While nothing will be set in stone this spring, we will get a good chance to see where Oregon's roster currently stands and who has set them up to contribute significantly come fall.

How do we see things just a couple of weeks before play begins? That's an important question to ask. With so many open spots on the starting lineup, the depth chart looks a bit muddled as we wait to see who can separate themselves this offseason. For now, though, there's no harm in trying to project where things are at.

Here's our first look at what the offensive depth chart will look like for the Ducks this spring:

Quarterback

Starter:Dante Moore
Backup:Austin Novosad
Other Names to Know:Luke Moga/Akili Smith Jr.

Analysis:We will undoubtedly see a competition for the starting QB spot this spring, but Moore seems to be the heavy favorite to be named QB1. As one of the leading candidates for the Heisman Trophy in 2025, there are high expectations in his first year as the starter at Oregon, and we should get a good look at what he can do this spring.

Running Back

Starter:Makhi Hughes
Backup:Noah Whittington
Other Names to Know:Da'Jaun Riggs/Jayden Limar

Analysis:With Jordan James off to the NFL, Oregon is looking to replace the RB1 on the roster. While Noah Whittington will return for one final season, it feels safe to say that Tulane transfer Makhi Hughes will be the guy here. Behind Hughes and Whittington at RB1 and RB2, I'm curious to see what we get from Jayden Limar and Da'Jaun Riggs. Riggs showed some real explosiveness in limited work as a freshman and could be poised for a breakout this spring.

Wide Receiver (X)

Sep 7, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Evan Stewart (7) catches a pass for a first down during the first half against Boise State Broncos cornerback Jeremiah Earby (6) at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Starter:Evan Stewart
Backup:Kyler Kasper
Other Names to Know:Jurrion Dickey/Jeremiah McClellan

Analysis:Evan Stewart projects to be the Ducks' WR1 going into the year, taking over for Tez Johnson. I think Kyler Kasper will get some nice run here as well, assuming that he is fully healthy by the time spring football rolls around, and I wouldn't at all be surprised to see guys like Jeremiah McClellan and Jurrion Dickey step into more prominent roles as well.

Wide Receiver (Z)

Apr 20, 2024; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Malik Benson (10) runs with the ball during the Spring Showcase at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports

Starter:Malik Benson
Backup:Jeremiah McClellan
Other Names to Know:Justius Lowe/Jurrion Dickey

Analysis:Oregon brought Malik Benson in from Florida State via the transfer portal, and while he doesn't have a ton of production in his college career, he boasts a nice upside. Behind him, I'm curious to see what redshirt freshman Jeremiah McClellan can bring as a high-upside underclassman.

Wide Receiver (Slot)

Dakorien Moore — Top-ranked recruits flocked to Eugene for the 2024 Oregon Ducks Saturday Night Live (Photo courtesy of Zachary Neel)

Starter:Dakorien Moore
Backup:Gary Bryant Jr.
Other Names to Know:Justius Lowe

Analysis:Despite Lanning's very little propensity to start true freshmen wide receivers, I am projecting that Dakorien Moore will win the starting job in the slot. He is the real deal from what I'm being told in winter workouts and around the facility. Should he not be ready by the start of the season, I think either Gary Bryant Jr. or Justius Lowe will take over here.

Tight End

Starter:Kenyon Sadiq
Backup:Jamari Johnson
Other Names to Know:Roger Saleapaga

Analysis:Welcome to the Kenyon Sadiq era. With Terrance Ferguson and Patrick Herbert both graduating, the runway is clear for Sadiq to take off, and he may be one of the most anticipated players in recent Oregon history. Behind him, the Ducks also brought in Louisville transfer Jamari Johnson, a big and athletic playmaker.

Left Tackle

Nevada's Marcus Bellon (18) and Isaiah World celebrate a touchdown while taking on Eastern Washington during their football game at Mackay Stadium in Reno on Sept. 21, 2024. — Nevada’s Marcus Bellon (18) and Isaiah World celebrate a touchdown while taking on Eastern Washington during their football game at Mackay Stadium in Reno on Sept. 21, 2024.

Starter:Isaiah World
Backup:Fox Crader
Other Names to Know:Kawika Rogers/Ziyarre Addison

Analysis:With Josh Conerly Jr. off to the NFL, the Ducks landed Isaiah World, the No. 1 ranked player in the transfer portal, to fill the spot. At 6-foot-8, 310 pounds, World projects to be an elite blindside blocker for Moore, looking to boost his draft stock with his final year of eligibility. Behind him, there is a mixed bag of possibilities. I think redshirt freshman Fox Crader could be ready to step up, but Kawika Rogers might also be in line for a bigger role on the outside.

Left Guard

Starter:Emmanuel Pregnon
Backup:Kawika Rogers
Other Names to Know:Alex Harkey

Analysis:Oregon scored a late win in the transfer portal by adding former USC offensive guard Emmanuel Pregnon, and I think he comes in and projects as a Day 1 starter at LG. There will be some competition with Kawika Rogers, but Pregnon has the production and performance to win the job.

Center

Oregon offensive lineman Iapani Laloulu snaps the ball to Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel during warm ups as the Oregon State Beavers host the Oregon Ducks Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024 at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Ore.

Starter:Iapani Laloulu
Backup:Charlie Pickard
Other Names to Know:Bryce Boulton

Analysis:Iapani Laloulu took over as the starting center as a true sophomore in 2024, so there is no reason to believe that he won't once again be the guy in 2025. Behind him, we will likely see Charlie Pickard, who acted as the starting center when Laloulu moved around to guard in the wake of an injury early in 2024.

Right Guard

Oregon offensive lineman Dave Iuli blocks as the Oregon Ducks host the Maryland Terrapins at Autzen Stadium Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024 in Eugene, Ore.

Starter:Dave Iuli
Backup:Alex Harkey
Other Names to Know:Matthew Bedford/Lipe Moala

Analysis:When we went through this exercise at the beginning of the offseason, I had Matthew Bedford listed as the starter, but things have changed. For starters, it remains to be seen how healthy Bedford is and whether he can play this spring. That could explain why Oregon went out and got Pregnon in the portal, allowing Dave Iuli to take over as one of the starting guards on the front line.

Right Tackle

Oregon offensive lineman Gernorris Wilson hauls in a touchdown pass as the Oregon Ducks host the Maryland Terrapins at Autzen Stadium Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024 in Eugene, Ore.

Starter:Gernorris Wilson
Backup:Alex Harkey
Other Names to Know:Kawika Rogers/Trent Ferguson

Analysis:Another change from my early offseason depth chart comes at right tackle, where I have Gernorris Wilson as the starter over Texas State transfer Alex Harkey. When listening to analyst and former Oregon OL Geoff Schwartz — someone who knows far more about offensive line play than myself — he believed that Harkey was more of an additive player, similar to Nishad Strother in 2023, and will serve as the 6-man for the OL, while Wilson gets the start. Schwartz was convincing enough to get me to change my mind. We will see what it looks like in spring practice next month.

This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon Ducks predicted offensive depth chart for spring season

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