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Oregon Ducks wide receiver preview: Evan Stewart bolsters WR group
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- Oregon Ducks wide receiver preview: Evan Stewart bolsters WR group
Since Dan Lanning took over as head coach, the Oregon Ducks have steadily moved closer to capturing the elusive national championship. In 2025, Oregon advanced to the College Football Playoff semifinals, but once again saw its title pursuit end short of the ultimate goal.
Now, with a coaching staff that has been able to learn and grow, a veteran core returning, and one of the most talented rosters in the country, the Ducks enter 2026 with a legitimate opportunity to deliver the championship season their fans have been waiting for.
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The Ducks have had good to great wide receiver rooms in the past few seasons, and that fact won't change here in 2026. Oregon should feature one of its best group of receivers it has ever had, and it is bolstered with the return of Evan Stewart, who missed all of last season due to an injury. Even without Stewart, this group was going to give opposing secondaries fits to try and stop them. But then you throw Stewart in the mix, and this could be the best group of receivers in the country.
State of the Oregon Ducks Wide Receiver Position
Oregon wide receiver Dakorien Moore hauls in a reception en route to a touchdown under coverage from Oklahoma State cornerback Kale Smith as the Oregon Ducks host the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Sept. 6, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon.
When it comes to bringing in receiver talent, this coaching staff doesn't mess around. The Ducks have the perfect group of talented freshmen, a young but experienced group, as well as some superstars in the mix. It also helps to have someone such as Evan Stewart come back after missing a year due to a knee injury. Just having him on the field makes the talent level go up exponentially.
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These receivers will also have to practice against one of the best defenses in the country Monday-Friday, which will make them even that much better on Saturdays. The receiver room is in a great place right now and the only thing that could slow them down is themselves and the trainer's room.
Who's Gone, Who's Back, and Who's New?
Nov 14, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan (11) celebrates with teammates during the second half after scoring a touchdown against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
Departures
Oregon lost some really talented receivers from last year's squad and it's going to be difficult to fill in some of those shoes. Although the talent is there to do just that, it might be a slow process for some of the newcomers to get up to speed. Missing the likes of Malik Benson (43 catches, 719 yards and six touchdowns) and Gary Bryant, Jr. (26 catches, 306 yards and four touchdowns) won't be easy, but the Ducks may have a deeper unit going into 2026 as they did in 2025.
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Returners
Obviously the biggest returner to the group is Evan Stewart, who missed the 2025 season with a knee injury. Seemingly at 100 percent for this season, the Ducks will welcome his kind of talent on the field. They certainly missed him last season, especially in those two losses to Indiana.
Joining Stewart on the field will be redshirt sophomore Jeremiah McClellan (38 catches, 557 yards and three touchdowns) and true sophomore Dakorien Moore (34 catches, 497 yards and three touchdowns). McClellan showed glimpses of what he could do on the field in 2025, and Moore was on the cusp of being a superstar before a non-contact knee injury forced him to miss the final four games of the regular season. Although he returned for the playoffs, Moore was nowhere near 100 percent, and his production was limited.
Redshirt sophomores Dillon Gresham and Jack Ressler had limited playing time in 2025, but one should expect their roles to increase this season. Both are four-star recruits, and this will be their third season in the program. The talent is definitely there, and now could be the time to show it.
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Newcomers
Oregon hit the transfer portal and the recruiting trail hard to increase the depth at receiver, and the newcomer that should make the most noise is Iverson Hooks, out of Alabama-Birmingham. Billed as Tez Johnson 2.0, Hooks exploded onto the scene for the Blazers in 2025 with 72 catches for 927 yards and seven touchdowns. He's a nice little slot receiver who can make plays in the open field.
Oregon has several true freshman receivers on the roster, but the one who could make a splash is Gatlin Bair. He was a Top 10 receiver out of Burley, Idaho, but he's missed the last two seasons because of his LDS mission. Bair was a five-star recruit, and with his speed, he might run with the Oregon track team in 2027 and it will be interesting to see how the Ducks use him on the field. He has explosive kickoff returner written all over him. The Ducks also added 5-star freshman Jalen Lott, and 4-star freshman Messiah Hampton, both of whom could very well find their way into the rotation this fall.
Projected Depth Chart
UAB’s wide receiver Iverson Hooks (0) carries the ball against Alabama State during their game at Protective Stadium in Birmingham Ala., on Thursday evening August 27, 2025.
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Starters: Evan Stewart, Jeremiah McClellan, Dakorien Moore
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Backups: Iverson Hooks (3rd down and long distances), Gatlin Bair, Jalen Lott, Dillon Gresham
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Other Names to Know: Messiah Hampton
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It's no mystery who Dante Moore's main targets will be when the season starts. What will be interesting to see is who steps up to make a bigger role for themselves because of the quality of play or injury. Hopefully, this group can stay healthy for much of the season because, on paper, it will be an exciting group to watch. The Ducks have so-called home run hitters all over the field. All Moore has to do is get them the ball and watch from there.
Biggest Questions Entering Fall Camp
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 02: Evan Stewart #7 of the Oregon Ducks plays against the Michigan Wolverinesat Michigan Stadium on November 02, 2024 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Can the receivers stay healthy throughout the season?
There's no question that the Ducks missed Evan Stewart last season and Dakorien Moore for the last third of the season. Maintaining health and keeping those players and their fellow receivers on the field will be key to Oregon's possible deep run into the College Football Playoffs.
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Who will step up outside of the Big 3?
Assuming they stay healthy, the trio of Stewart, Moore and McClellan will be the stars of the show, but if something should happen, Oregon will need someone else or two to step up. The best bet here would be Hooks, with his prior success at UAB and all that experience under his belt. It's definitely a step up to the Big Ten from the Sun Belt Conference, but it didn't seem to bother Tez Johnson out of Troy. The Ducks are hoping for a similar outcome here.
Player to Watch
Oregon Ducks WR Gatlin Bair on Official Visit in Eugene.
Gatlin Bair
Although he's technically a freshman, Bair is anything but with his time spent on his LDS mission. He's one of those explosive players who could open a lot of eyes and fans asking, "Where did this guy come from?" Look for Hooks to make an impact as well, but Bair has the potential to become the next most exciting Duck to watch for years to come.
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Final Outlook and Position Grade
Oregon Ducks wide receiver Evan Stewart celebrates a long reception as the No. 3 Oregon Ducks host the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore.
Assuming they all stay in the field for the majority of the season, this might be the deepest and most talented receiver room Oregon has ever had. There might be a drop-off after the starting group, but those in the "other" category aren't exactly walk-ons. They are four- and five-star players itching to prove themselves. And we just touched on the receivers. We haven't even talked about the tight ends (that's in a separate preview). This group should be fun to watch, and it's a huge plus that they have a Heisman-quality quarterback throwing them the ball.
Overall Oregon Ducks Wide Receivers Position Grade: A
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon Ducks wide receiver preview: Evan Stewart bolsters WR group
