Predicting Oregon Ducks' offensive depth chart at start of fall camp practices

USA Today

4 days ago

Fall camp has officially kicked off in Eugene, with the Oregon Ducks taking the field for the first time on Wednesday afternoon to begin their Big Ten Title defense. It's a new-look roster, with many young players looking to step into bigger roles vacated by NFL departures. While there may not be a ton of "Oregon experience," there certainly is an abundance of talent.
On the offensive side of the ball, we will see new starters at every position outside of center, which will be held once again by Iapani Laloulu. At quarterback, running back, tight end, wide receiver, left tackle, left guard, right guard, and right tackle, a new name will emerge, set to take over.
That may be a daunting realization, but it's a challenge that Dan Lanning and his team are excited to meet.
As we monitor practice over the coming weeks, hurdling towards Week 1 and a meeting with Montana State on August 30, the depth chart will shift a bit, with players jockeying for position and working to earn starting roles. At the moment, though, here is where we project things on the offensive side of the ball in Eugene:
Quarterback
Analysis: With all due respect to true freshman QB Akili Smith Jr., this is a three-man race for the QB1 position, and in my mind, Dante Moore is the heavy favorite. All three passers looked solid in the spring game, but at this point, if anyone but Moore were named the starter, it would come as a surprise.
Running Back
Analysis: With Jordan James off to the NFL, Oregon went out and got Makhi Hughes from Tulane, who will likely come in as the new RB1. Of course, Noah Whittington will vie for carries as well, and we could see Dink Riggs or Jayden Limar get into the rotation as well, but I think that Hughes will be the No. 1 player here.
Wide Receiver (X)
Analysis: With Evan Stewart's offseason injury, the X position comes a bit into flux. It appears that Kyler Kasper is in line to earn the starting job, but there will be a lot of competition, and it wouldn't be surprising to see the likes of Jeremiah McClellan or Jurrion Dickey get some run as well.
Wide Receiver (Z)
Analysis: Dakorien Moore may be a true freshman, but it appears that the Ducks may struggle to keep him off the field. While Moore appears to have a starting spot locked up, there will be some competition behind him with both Malik Benson and Justius Lowe getting into the rotation as well.
Wide Receiver (Slot)
Analysis: There are a number of players who might take over in the slot, but my early money is on Justius Lowe, who should be able to beat out Gary Bryant Jr. Also, don't be surprised to see if true freshman Cooper Perry can make a name for himself as well.
Tight End
Analysis: Kenyon Sadiq is undoubtedly the starter, but what will be interesting to see is how much guys like Jamari Johnson and Roger Saleapaga get into the rotation as well. Oregon could very well have three above-the-line tight ends, which could lead them to going 12- or 13-personnel more.
Left Tackle
Analysis: Isaiah World will definitely be the starter at the LT position, but who steps in behind him will be interesting to watch. It could be someone like Fox Crader, or Kawika Rogers may step up into the rotation.
Left Guard
Analysis: Much like the LT spot, Emmanuel Pregnon should be the starter at LG. Kawika Rogers is also in the mix after spending some time there in the spring game.
Center
Analysis: Iapani Laloulu took over as the starting center as a true sophomore in 2024, so there is no reason to believe that he won't once again be the guy in 2025. Behind him, we will likely see Charlie Pickard, who acted as the starting center when Laloulu moved around to guard in the wake of an injury early in 2024.
Right Guard
Analysis: Right guard is one of the spots where there is a real battle for the starting spot, whether it's Matthew Bedford or Dave Iuli. Behind them, there are several guys who can slot in, but I like Douglas Utu for the No. 3 spot.
Right Tackle
Analysis: It appears that Alex Harkey is going to be the guy at RT this year, though I still think Gernorris Wilson can challenge him for that starting spot.
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