Oregon Defense Preview 2025: The Duck D Will Be One of the Nation's Best

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2025 Oregon Preview
Oregon Offense Breakdown 
Season Prediction, Win Total, Keys to Season 

- The pass rush and defensive line will be fantastic. Matayo Uiagalelei blew up into an All-Big Ten star with 10.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss on one end, and the rest of the pass rush should come from the outside linebackers.

There’s no Derrick Harmon in the interior, but 6-3, 320-pound A’Mauri Washington will be more than fine at one tackle spot, and Bear Alexander (USC) will step right in on the nose despite missing most of last year hurt. There’s terrific talent to rotate in, but it’s inexperienced.

- The linebackers will wreak havoc. Teitum Tuioti will work in a hybrid role again after finishing third on the team with 5.5 sacks with 7.5 tackles for loss, and 58 stops. Devon Jackson has all-star upside coming off a 47-tackle season, and all-star leading tackler Bryce Boettcher is back in the middle after making 94 stops.

- Out of all the great transfers coming in, safety Dillon Thieneman (Purdue) should turn into one of the biggest stars coming off two monster seasons with the Boilermakers. The other safety jobs will be fall camp battles. Kingston Lopa is a promising talent for the free safety spot, and Daylen Austin should be among the team’s top tacklers.

The Ducks are loaded at corner. Theran Johnson (Northwestern) has four years of experience with over 100 tackles with three picks, and 18 broken up passes. Jahlil Florence missed all of last year, but as he showed in 2023, the NFL upside is there.

Sione Laulea only played in a few games last year, but he has a world of upside in the rotation, and Ify Obidegwu should find a role somewhere if he doesn’t work his way into a corner job.

Season Prediction, Win Total, Keys to Season
2025 Oregon Preview
Oregon Offense Breakdown