Oregon Ducks' top position battles to monitor in spring camp for 2026

The Oregon Ducks are getting the spring football season back underway this week after spring break for the university, so we can expect the storylines to pick back up as we watch Dan Lanning's team continue to prepare for what is expected to be a successful season in Eugene.

One of the main things we're going to watch this offseason, both in spring and summer, is the position battles taking place across the roster. While Oregon has a number of returning starters from last year's College Football Playoff team, there are a number of spots on the depth chart that are up for grabs, whether it's a starting spot or a No. 2 spot.

Lanning has long maintained at Oregon that he is going to use the transfer portal every year to try to bring in the most talented players possible and add some competition to the locker room to improve the overall product. We saw that once again this year, with some notable additions like Koi Perich and Iverson Hooks , among others.

So, which are the position battles that we are most intrigued by? Let's break them down, in no particular order.

The Wide Receiver Room

There are a number of mouths to feed at the wide receiver position in Eugene, and only a select number of targets to go around, which is a good problem to have. While Oregon sees guys like Malik Benson and Gary Bryant Jr. move on to the NFL, they do return star players like Evan Stewart , Dakorien Moore , and Jeremiah McClellan . On top of that, they bring in guys like Iverson Hooks, Gatlin Bair, and Jalen Lott.

We could sit here and parse out the receiver position, player by player, but ultimately, every spot is up for grabs, and watching the hierarchy form is going to be entertaining. Who is the WR1? Is it Stewart, Moore, or McClellan? Who is the surprise underclassman this year? Can Hooks become a productive player? It's all on the board this offseason, and we can't wait to watch it play out.

Da'Jaun Riggs vs. Tradarian Ball vs. Simeon Price

There has been a lot of movement in the RB room this year, with Noah Whittington , Jayden Limar, and Jay Harris all moving on. However, the Ducks return Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill, the two projected starters for next year. Behind them is where things get interesting.

Last year, Da'Jaun Riggs came into the year as an expected breakout player, but he dealt with injuries for much of the season. Then you have Colorado transfer Simeon Price, and incoming freshman Tradarian Ball, a player with a ton of early buzz. Which guy will slot into that RB2/RB3 role? It's going to be a tough competition.

Left Tackle, Left Guard, and Right Tackle

The Ducks finished as a finalist for the Joe Moore Award once again last year, and while three of their five starters from 2025 are moving on to the NFL, there are once again high expectations for Oregon when it comes to the trenches. While there are a lot of top-tier players who have been developed in Eugene, figuring out who exactly is going to slot in as the starters is a big question. Iapani Laloulu and Dave Iuli should keep their starting spots, but at LT, LG, and RT, there are vacancies. Early names to know are Fox Crader, Gernorris Wilson, Michael Bennett , Immanuel Iheanacho, Kawika Rogers, Tommy Tofi, and Trent Ferguson. There are a lot of moving pieces, though, so this position battle undoubtedly won't be settled until the fall.

Kendre Harrison vs. Andrew Olesh

Even with Kenyon Sadiq off to the NFL, there is unbridled optimism about the position in Eugene this year. Jamari Johnson returns and is among the best players at the position in the nation. Behind him, though, I'm curious to see who steps up. There's 5-star freshman Kendre Harrison, the No. 1 TE in his class, or Penn State transfer Andrew Olesh, a former 5-star who was the No. 1 TE in the 2025 class. Both players are very capable, but we will see which is able to take an early step.

Defensive Line Depth

The defensive line is a very interesting spot for Oregon, both inside and outside. The Ducks return star players like A'mauri Washington and Bear Alexander , but they lose a lot of depth behind them, with players like Tionne Gray, Terrance Green, and Jericho Johnson leaving. The Ducks have some solid options to turn to, with Aydin Breland and Matthew Johnson expected to break out, as well as guys like D'Antre Robinson and Jerome Simmons. With as much as Oregon rotates on the line, we are undoubtedly going to see a lot of these players this year. Who? That is yet to be seen.

EDGE Depth

Much like the interior defensive line, Oregon has the benefit of getting both Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti back for another year. However, this led to guys like Blake Purchase and Ashton Porter leaving. Still, the Ducks have an abundance of young players who are ready to step up, from Nasir Wyatt and Elijah Rushing to Tank Jones. Seeing which guys can get looks early on is going to be fun to watch.

The Second Linebacker

Bryce Boettcher 's leaving for the NFL puts a hole in the LB room, and watching to see who steps up and replaces him is going to be fascinating. Jerry Mixon is projected to be the LB1 after a breakout year in 2025, but there are questions as to who steps up alongside him. Without the Ducks going into the portal for a veteran linebacker, it will be on guys like Brayden Platt, Dylan Williams, and Gavin Nix to step up to the plate. Who will be up to the task?

The Second Cornerback

Much like the LB position, there are a ton of young, capable defensive backs who could step up at cornerback for the Ducks. With both Brandon Finney Jr. and Ify Obidegwu back again, there's a good chance that those two continue on as the starters. But there are also players like Na'eem Offord, Dorian Brew , and Aaron Scott Jr., among others, who could step up and challenge for a starting spot this offseason, who are worth keeping an eye on.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Top Oregon Ducks' position battles to watch throughout spring football