2026 Oregon Ducks Offseason Preview: RB position talented, needs depth

Year after year, it seems like the Oregon Ducks have a star in the running back room. 2025 was no different, but it came with a more spread out approach, as three players recorded 75 or more carries and nobody finished with over 1,000 yards.

All three — Noah Whittington , Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. — served in different roles, complimenting each other extremely well. Though injuries and an unfortunately timed transfer portal period had a hand in the Ducks ' demise in the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal against the No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers , the running back room in 2025 should still be lauded for the impressive nature of the top three backs and the talented depth behind them.

Despite that, the running back room has already endured many changes just a week after the season has ended — with more surely to occur in the coming weeks as well.

While there are still several offseason months ahead of us, with spring ball acting as a reprieve in the middle of the calendar, let's dive into Oregon's RB room and see how things are laid out for the coming season, looking at who is leaving, who is coming back, and what guys are coming into the program as well.

Returning Players

Jordon Davison

Career Stats:113 rushes, 667 yards, 15 TDS / / 12 catches, 62 yards

One of the biggest surprise contributors as a true freshman, Davison burst onto the scene to open the season, scoring three short touchdowns against Montana State. As the season progressed, his role began to increase from almost strictly short-yardage back to filling in for Whittington. When given opportunities in the middle of the field, Davison showed an impressive burst and tackle-breaking ability for his 6-foot, 236-pound frame. Look no further than Davison to fill the go-to role for the Ducks next season.

Dierre Hill Jr.

Career Stats:75 rushes, 656 yards, 5 TDs / / 16 catches, 137 yards, 1 TD

Hill compliments the physical, tough Davison perfectly with his speed and ability to run away would-be tacklers in open space. Like Davison, Hill didn't come into the season as an expected contributor but proved himself against Penn State in Week 5, tying for the team-lead in carries and finishing with a team-high 82 rushing yards to go with a receiving score. Hill does have a slighter frame and will need to improve his pass-blocking if he's to become a reliable every down back.

Da'Jaun Riggs

Career Stats:28 rushes, 168 yards, 1 TD

Da'Jaun Riggs would've been a big factor down the stretch of the season if not for injuries that sidelined him for essentially the second half of the year. When he was healthy, he saw time in blowout situations and showed some pop with the ball, as he averaged 5.1 yards per carry and totaled 66 yards on 10 carries combined against Oregon State and Rutgers. With another offseason of experience and getting back healthy, Riggs will likely still be a reserve but could more time come 2026.

Player Departures

Noah Whittington

Career Stats:523 rushes, 2,950 yards, 21 TDs / / 90 catches, 544 yards, 4 TDs

The most reliable of the Oregon running backs this season, Whittington waited his turn for four seasons as a Duck before finally claiming the RB1 role in 2025. He had three 100-yard games and averaged 6.4 yards per carry, combining explosiveness with physicality. The sixth-year senior is out of eligibility and will enter the 2026 NFL draft.

Makhi Hughes

Career Stats:540 rushes, 2,849 yards, 22 TDs / / 32 catches, 267 yards, 2 TDs

A preseason All-American, it was a shock to nearly everyone outside of the Oregon program when Makhi Hughes opened the season outside of the top four running backs in the rotation after two standout seasons at Tulane. After not making the trip to Penn State, Dan Lanning announced that Hughes would utilize a redshirt. He has since entered the transfer portal and committed to Houston .

Jay Harris

Career Stats:52 rushes, 186 yards, 3 TDs / / 7 catches, 91 yards

Jay Harris and Hill turned out to be the only healthy running backs for Oregon in the Peach Bowl, with the former Division-II All-American receiving the bulk of the carries and totaling a career-high (during his time as a Duck) 67 total yards. He saw little time the last two seasons before that, leading to him enter the transfer portal and eventually commit to Kansas State.

Jayden Limar

Career Stats:95 rushes, 442 yards, 4 TDs / / 20 catches, 207 yards 1 TD

A bruiser between the tackles who proved to be a reliable pass catcher as well, Jayden Limar was simply bumped out of the rotation because of the emergence of Davison and Hill. Limar was well-liked in the Oregon program but ultimately transferred decided to transfer closer to home (he is a Lake Stevens, WA, native) and join the Washington Huskies for his final season of eligibility barring a medical redshirt, as he battled an injury in 2025.

Incoming Players

Tradarian Bell (Recruit)

Recruiting Ranking: No. 9 RB, No. 106 overall (247 Sports Composite)

Standing 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds, Tradarian Bell is an absolute speedster at the running back position. Given his frame and jitterbug nature, he could be used as a slot receiver as well and play a Hill-like role for the Ducks. His slight frame does give some pause about if he'll be asked to contribute in 2026 or redshirt and have a more prominent role after a year in the program and putting on some weight.

Transfer Portal Needs

With Davison and Hill expected back, there isn't a huge need for a top-level talented running back to join the Ducks, and it doesn't appear that they'll add one. But there is a pretty significant need for depth. More specifically, veteran depth, as Davison, Hill, Riggs and Bell are young. Adding at least two veterans backs in the portal should be a goal for the program.

Overall Position Outlook

Like a number of positions for Oregon right now, the two starting running backs are very able to do the job at a high level but depth is needed. Davison and Hill should be around for at least two more seasons, giving the Ducks stability in the backfield, but protecting themselves against injury would lend Lanning to add a couple more backs in this transfer portal cycle.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Previewing Oregon Ducks RB position ahead of 2026 offseason