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Oregon's Bear Alexander, Justin Flowe among 2026’s longest-tenured players
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- Oregon's Bear Alexander, Justin Flowe among 2026’s longest-tenured players
College football used to be on a strict four-or-five-year timeline when it came to the length of a career. You came in, battled for a spot, and either left early for the NFL or graduated and moved on. Well, those days are long gone.
Because of different waivers, a free year of eligibility in 2020, and other circumstances, there are players around college football who are entering their seventh or eighth season at the college level, and a few Oregon Ducks , current and former, are among the list of longest-tenured players in the country.
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The Athletic's Stewart Mandel and Sam Khan Jr. put out the annual All-Geezer team, made up of players who most college football fans might recognize and wonder, "How long has that guy been around?" The Ducks have been no stranger to the question, with many mocking Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel for seemingly being in college forever, but in the end, it doesn't matter much if they have eligibility and can help a team win.
Thanks to the new five-for-five eligibility rule , the era of nearly decade-long careers at the college level seems like it is coming to an end.
The Ducks have one of those players on the 2026 roster, as well as a pair of former players who committed to the program under Mario Cristobal , who left Oregon after the end of the 2021 regular season. Yes, it's been that long. Let's take a look at some of the Ducks still flying around the country this season.
DT Bear Alexander
Oregon Ducks defensive lineman Bear Alexander celebrates a fumble recovery as the Oregon Ducks host the Oregon State Beavers Sept. 20, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon.
Year: 5th
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The Ducks were fortunate that Bear Alexander opted to return to Eugene rather than turning pro. He starred along the interior of the Oregon defensive line last season and finally realized some of the potential he had as a four-star recruit in the 2022 class. He posted 50 tackles, 6.5 for a loss, and one sack last season while suffocating opposing rushing attacks. This season, he returns along Oregon's veteran front and could make a big impact once again.
Alexander is playing in his fifth collegiate season, which doesn't seem like very long, but through the lens of the public, his name has been well-known for a long time because he tended to swap out jerseys and schools. After attending four high schools, he landed at Georgia in 2022, partly thanks to former Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning . He won a national championship with the Bulldogs as a freshman, but didn't see the field often.
He transferred to USC and started in 2023, earning an All-Pac-12 honorable mention, before playing three games in 2024 and opting to use a redshirt and transfer again. He landed back with Lanning in Eugene, and it's been a perfect fit.
TE Ty Thompson
Oct 1, 2022; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Ty Thompson (13) drops back for a pass during the second half against the Stanford Cardinal at Autzen Stadium. The Ducks won the game 45-27. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
Year:6th
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One of two former Mario Cristobal commits at Oregon on the list, Ty Thompson was once thought to be the quarterback of the future for the Ducks. The former five-star joined the Ducks in 2021 and became the backup to Anthony Brown as a freshman, but never took significant snaps as the Ducks made a trip to the Pac-12 Championship game and the Alamo Bowl.
After Cristobal and Brown both left town following the season, Thompson was expected to compete for the starting role in 2022. However, Dan Lanning took the job in Eugene and brought Nix into the fold. Nix starred for two seasons with the Ducks and became a Heisman finalist in 2023 and a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. After two more seasons on the bench, Thompson entered the portal and landed at Tulane in 2024.
Thompson did play under center a bit in his first season at Tulane, tossing three touchdowns and three interceptions on 40 pass attempts and rushing for 260 yards and six touchdowns. But he lost the starting job to Darian Mensah, an unknown freshman at the time who is now a Heisman contender at Miami. Thompson switched to tight end and missed the entire 2025 season with an injury. 2026 could be the year Thompson breaks through as a pass-catcher.
LB Justin Flowe
Sep 4, 2021; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Fresno State Bulldogs wide receiver Ty Jones (8) picks up a first down during the second half as he gets tackled by Oregon Ducks linebacker Justin Flowe (10) at Autzen Stadium. The Ducks won the game 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
Year:7th
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Justin Flowe remains one of Oregon's biggest recruiting wins ever , ranking as the third-highest rated recruit in program history , according to 247Sports. He began his career at Oregon in 2020 under Cristobal, but he played in just two games in his first two seasons due to injuries. His high motor was on display in the season-opener in 2021, racking up 13 tackles and earning Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors.
However, his intense style of play was never under control, and he sank on the depth chart after returning from injury and played sparingly in 2022. He transferred to Arizona and played two seasons in a rotation at linebacker before transferring again to UNLV.
Flowe played in 12 games last season and made only 14 tackles. He entered the transfer portal again in the offseason, but wound up back at UNLV anyway. It's been a disappointing career for a once very promising prospect. Maybe the former Oregon linebacker can end his career on a high note in 2026.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon's Bear Alexander, Justin Flowe among 2026's longest-tenured players
