Our Oregon football program hasn’t taken a single day off since the season ended, and recruits have been flying in (and out) for weeks—even after signing day. Dan Lanning luckily has zero concept of taking his foot off the gas and had 13 wins in his third season with the Ducks to show for it. Now, we look to the 2025-2026 roster and evaluate who we expect to start making plays from the jump, and dominate Oregon football’s spotlight for years to come.
(photo via X @TheSG_Podcast)
My Pick for Oregon Football’s Most Exciting Freshman in 2025: Dorian Brew
Dakorien Moore is probably the knee-jerk answer to me, but I’m gonna go with the player that’ll be lining up across from him.
Brew is an incoming four-star cornerback who has a ton of upside as a big hitter and elite cover corner. Unfortunately for him, he also has big shoes to fill. Jabbar Muhammad, Brandon Johnson, and Dontae Manning will all not be returning in 2025, leaving this incoming DB class to acclimate quickly to the speed of the B1G. Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and co. will offer zero easy matchups at receiver, while elite quarterback talent like Michigan’s Bryce Underwood will join the conference as well. I see Brew having a trial by fire right off the bat to see what kind of talent he has. Lining him up as a true boundary corner from the jump might be the best course of action early in the season, as Oregon’s schedule only heats up toward the end of the year. Let’s see him blanket receivers in coverage regularly by the end of the regular season, and rally up in run support to set the tone in his freshman campaign as the keystone of this defense. Edge rusher Matayo Uiagalelei should give Brew some quick decision-making from opposing signal callers, offering massive opportunities for PBUs, interceptions, and turning the tide on defense with HUGE confidence boosts to carry into conference play.
But before the season gets underway and we see what really unfolds, let’s make our predictions: Who’s YOUR x-factor in 2025? What do you expect out of this group of DBs and receivers, and who’s going to be a playmaker from the jump? Do you see Lanning leaning more toward youth over experience this year, or sticking with the portal/veterans to lead this squad? Let us know in the FishDuck Forum with decorum.
Go Ducks!
Alex Heining
Los Angeles, California
Top Photo Via: (@MarshallLev_ on X)
Quick sidenote: As someone living in Los Angeles who was forced to evacuate, please give all your friends/family in the area a call. The wildfires here have decimated the Palisades/Greater Los Angeles community and left thousands of people without homes. Anything you can do for your loved ones in the coming weeks: DO IT. Take care, and once again—Go Ducks!
Alex Heining is an Oregon alumni from the graduate class of 2021. After studying sports business and media studies, he has moved into the field of digital marketing as a copywriter and content manager in the Los Angeles area. Still, he loves his Ducks and goes to local high school games all over the Los Angeles and Orange County area to check out new recruits of the future (and a SoFi game or two with the pros). On any given Saturday, expect to find him doing martial arts, playing the guitar, or screaming at the tv over a missed holding penalty.