What's new with the Oregon Ducks' DL room ahead of 2026 spring season?

Coming off of yet another elite season, the  Oregon Ducks  now go into a new 2026 campaign with higher expectations than they've had in quite some time. There's a belief that it is  "championship or bust"  in Eugene, thanks to the return of guys like Dante Moore , Evan Stewart , Matayo Uiagalelei, A'Mauri Washington, and Teitum Tuioti. Oregon's roster is among the best and most experienced in the nation, and there's a feeling that the '26 season could be special.

While it may be a stretch to say that anything short of a championship will be considered a failure, there are reasons for the Ducks ' fanbase to hold such high hopes. Oregon has been building to the 2026 season for a couple of years now, and with the combination of elite young talent like Jordon Davison, Dakorien Moore, and Brandon Finney, among others, along with the aforementioned veterans, it comes as no surprise that the Ducks are considered among the championship favorites going into spring ball.

While the return of Dante Moore gave fans the most confidence when it comes to 2026's championship aspirations, it's really the movement on the defensive line, or lack thereof, that started the rumblings early in the offseason. Bear Alexander 's announced return was great, but the announcement that A'Mauri Washington — a projected first-round draft pick in 2026 — would come back for one more year, is among the biggest developments for the Ducks all year.

However, these returns had a ripple effect, and Oregon saw a bit of an exodus in the transfer portal along the defensive front, with several high-impact players like Terrance Green, Tionne Gray, and Jericho Johnson all moving on to different schools.

In return, the Ducks were able to add a couple of incoming transfers to fill out the depth, but it has left a couple of questions going into the new year.

Returning Players

A'Mauri Washington

Career Stats: 37 games — 45 tackles, 6 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 10 PBUs

As a projected first-round draft pick in the 2026 draft, getting Washington back for one more season in Eugene was massive for the Ducks. He is now projected to be one of the best interior defensive linemen in the nation and will lead what's expected to be a dominant front seven.

Bear Alexander

Career Stats: 43 games — 111 tackles, 16 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 7 PBUs

Alexander had a great year in his first season with the Ducks after transferring from USC, and he said that he felt he had developed and grown so much during his time under Dan Lanning that he wanted more. Alexander now returns alongside Washington and forms one of the top duos in the nation.

Aydin Breland

Career Stats: 17 games — no stats

Aydin Breland came to Oregon as a 5-star player, but he has yet to show everything that he can do on the field. Now is his time, though, with a bunch of depth players moving out via the transfer portal, and Breland standing as one of the next in line at the position.

Matthew Johnson

Career Stats: 7 games — 4 tackles

Matthew Johnson impressed as a freshman, coming to Eugene as a 4-star recruit, but showing early on that he gained a lot of trust from the coaching staff, as he was put in the game during big moments, and he proved to be up to the task. He should be a major contributor going forward as long as he can continue to develop.

Departing Players

Terrance Green

Career Stats: 25 games — 22 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sack, 2 PBUs

Terrance Geen is one of the most notable outgoing transfers for Oregon during this cycle, as a major rotational player on the defensive line. With aspirations of starting, understandably, Green felt it was better to move on from Oregon with Washington and Alexander returning. He transferred to the  Alabama Crimson Tide.

Tionne Gray

Career Stats: 17 games — 19 tackles, 2 TFL

Tionne Gray is another player who, like Green, was a major rotational player on the Ducks' DL this past season but aspired to a bigger starting role. He transferred to the  Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Jericho Johnson

Career Stats: 11 games — 5 tackles, 1 PBU

Much like Gray and Green, Jericho Johnson is another big body on the defensive line who saw his role grow with the Ducks this past year as a rotational defensive tackle who helped plug holes in the middle. He followed former Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi and transferred to the California Golden Bears.

Xadavien Sims

Career Stats: 4 games — 2 tackles

Xadavien Sims didn't have a major role with the Ducks just yet, but he was in line to step up and see more snaps in 2026, had he stayed. The former 4-star recruit transferred to the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Incoming Players

D'Antre Robinson

Career Stats: 23 games — 56 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 2 sacks

Robinson has played two years at the college level — one season with the  Florida Gators , and one with the Tar Heels — racking up 56 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks. Coming out of high school, Robinson was a four-star recruit, rated by the 247Sports composite as the No. 262 overall player and No. 36 defensive lineman. He will have two years of eligibility at Oregon.

Jerome Simmons

Career Stats: 8 games — 10 tackles, 1 PBU

After not appearing in a single game for the South Carolina Gamecocks in 2024, Simmons utilized a redshirt, Simmons decided to transfer to UL Monroe. He played in eight games for the Warhawks, totaling 10 tackles and a pass breakup before entering the portal at the end of the season.

Tony Cumberland

Recruiting Rating: 4-star (0.9743) — No. 57 nationally, No. 7 DL

Tony Cumberland was the longest committed player in Oregon's 2026 class, and he transferred to Willamette High School in Eugene to be close to the program. He is a highly-rated player who could potentially find a role this year, much like Matthew Johnson did as a true freshman.

Most Intriguing Storyline to Watch This Spring

The Development and Growth of Guys Like Aydin Breland, Matthew Johnson

We know what the guys at the top of the depth chart can do. A'Mauri Washington and Bear Alexander are proven players at a national level. But behind them, can Oregon's former high-end recruits and prospects turn into something special? All eyes are on guys like Aydin Breland, a former 5-star player, and Matthew Johnson, a true sophomore who found a nice little role as a freshman in 2026. These guys have had limited opportunities, but can they demand more snaps this season and provide an outsized impact? If Oregon is going to reach its championship potential, the answer needs to be "yes."

Biggest Question Facing the Position in 2026

Will Depth at the Position be an Issue?

It's one thing to have great starting players, and that's something that Oregon doesn't have to worry about going into this season. However, it's another to have depth players who you can rely upon. That's what the Ducks had last year with guys like Terrance Green, Tionne Gray, and Jericho Johnson. With all of those guys now off to newschools, it will be on guys like Breland, Johnson, and incoming transfers D'Antre Robinson and Jerome Simmons to step up and provide some relief for the starters. This isn't something we're going to learn in spring, but rather after a few games once we get into September.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Previewing Oregon Ducks' DL room ahead of 2026 spring football season