Oregon Ducks Linebacker Duo Graded Among Top Defenders in Country

Boettcher had the opportunity to pick off Northwestern multiple times and ultimately recorded his second career interception late in the first quarter.

"First one I was just keying the quarterback and that took me right to where he was throwing the ball,” Boettcher said. “I was a little out of reach, probably should've dove like a centerfielder on that one but I made up for it a couple of plays later." 

It was his first pick since 2023. Boettcher also tallied five total tackles and 0.5 tackles for a loss.

Mixon, meanwhile, registered his second interception in a two-game span.

“We were advantageous when we had opportunities to make plays on the ball. Whether that's Bryce or Jerry,” Dan Lanning said. “Those guys have proven to be ball production guys, and that's definitely what we're looking for.”

Boettcher ended up as one of the top-graded linebackers through week 3 with a 76.6 Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade. Mixon holds a 91.5 PFF grade, which is No. 1 nationally.

Mixon’s Breakout Season

Mixon continues to be a standout linebacker among a star-studded Oregon linebacker room.

In week 2, Mixon recorded a 96.7 defensive grade against Oklahoma State, which was second in the nation among all defensive players with a minimum of 20 snaps. He hauled in a pick six for the Ducks in that game, before his second interception of the season against the Wildcats.

Against Northwestern, Mixon returned the interception 36 yards to pave way for a Ducks touchdown.

“Jerry gets a bunch of those in practice and it's because he makes you think he can't make the play, and then he does an unbelievable job breaking on the ball,” Lanning said.

Boettcher echoed that what Mixon has been doing in front of fans is exactly what he does every day in practice. Boettcher said that Mixon gets more picks in practice than anyone else.

The linebacker also tied his career-high in tackles against Northwestern with five (two solo). He additionally recorded a tackle for a loss.

While Boettcher has been a staple of the Ducks’ defense the past few seasons and one of the faces of the program, Mixon spent much of his first two seasons on special teams.

Linebackers coach Brian Michalowksi said during fall camp that 2025 “should be Jerry’s time” and that his recent success wasn’t a surprise to him.

“Jerry’s developed himself, and he’s been very patient, but there’s no substitute for the experience that he’s had the last couple years being behind the guys that he’s been behind and a lot of practice reps,” Michalowksi said. “He might be consistently every camp the highest rep count linebacker when it comes to reps out there.”