Oregon's pass rush was one of its biggest weaknesses in 2022. The offense could put up points in a hurry, but the defense was a liability and getting after the quarterback was a chief concern.
However, the outlook for 2023 is promising, and that's because players like Brandon Dorlus headline a defensive line that is not only talented also among the most experienced in the Pac-12.
Pro Football focus recently recognized Dorlus as one of the top returning edge defenders in college football for the 2023 season, ranking him No. 8 out of 10.
Since signing with the Ducks in the class of 2019, the Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) native has taken significant strides in his game each season. 2022 was by far his best year yet, as he was named to the Associated Press All-Pac-12 second team and the coaches Pac-12 All-Conference second team.
The 6-foot-3, 290-pound defensive lineman started all 13 games for Dan Lanning and Tosh Lupoi's defense and played 651 defensive snaps. He set a career highs in tackles for loss (9.5), total tackles (39) and was one of only three defensive lineman to be named Pac-12 Defensive Lineman of the Week multiple times (week 3 vs. BYU and week 5 vs. Stanford).
Many were surprised that Dorlus chose to return to Eugene for one more season rather than opting for the 2023 NFL Draft, but there's obvious potential for him to shine on Oregon's defense next season as Dan Lanning pairs his experience and production with names like Casey Rogers, Mase Funa, Popo Aumavae and South Carolina edge transfer Jordan Burch.
He's the most versatile defensive lineman the Ducks have returning from 2022 as he consistently flies around switching between the edge and working on the interior.
Three other Pac-12 players were included on the list including Washington's Bralen Trice at No. 2, with UCLA's Laiatu Latu and Gabriel Murphy at No. 7 and No. 9 respectively.
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