Why Brandon Finney Jr. Could Be Oregon Ducks' Next Star Defensive Back

The cornerback started for Oregon against the Bobcats, alongside redshirt freshman Ify Obidegwu. Finney posted two tackles in his collegiate debut, including one solo.

247Sports rated the freshman as a five-star recruit coming out of high school and the No. 1 player in the state of Maryland. He tallied 51 tackles in three years at McDonogh High School and six interceptions.

After arriving in Eugene in the spring, defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi said that Finney has gained confidence and raised his comfort level within the Ducks’ system.

Redshirt senior cornerback Theran Johnson missed the season opener with a right knee injury. Dan Lanning said that Johnson will likely return against the Oklahoma State Cowboys. With one of Oregon’s major 2025 transfers set to return, it could impact whether or not Finney gets a second straight start on Saturday and how much he sees the field.

What Sets Brandon Finney Apart

Lanning spoke about on Wednesday how the program looks for players who meet its standard of showing up early and leaving late.

“You're looking for ambitious guys. But that are also understand that if I don't do what's necessary, I don't deserve that role. And I think they realize you got to pay rent every single day,” Lanning said. “We're always looking for that. When we're looking for players, for guys that are ambitious, they love ball. They want to be great. They're infatuated with being great. They see growth moments, and we have a lot of guys on our team like that right now.”

Finney appears to fit that mold. When asked about why he started Finney in the opener, Lanning immediately pointed to the freshman’s work ethic.

“Above the line football. He probably takes the work necessary to be good as serious as anybody. This guy grinds. I mean, he's mature beyond his years,” Lanning said. “As far as how much time does it take to be great, like he puts in the time he's one of the first in the building every morning.”

“He's watching extra film. He's early to practice to get a warmup in,” Lanning continued. “I mean, he's gonna do the extra. And because he does the extra and then executes at a high level, it's allowed him to be successful out there.”

Another young player on the Ducks’ secondary, safety Aaron Flowers, noticed the same thing about Finney’s approach to the game. He gave a raving review about his teammate when talking about why he earned the start.

“His mindset for sure is different,” Flowers said. “He’s always here first guy in, last guy out. Asks every question. In film, just asking every question he can. Asking what the safeties do, what the STARs do, just trying to learn the best. He knows the defense all throughout, so that’s what he’s playing.”

How much time Finney gets on the field the rest of the season is still to be seen. Johnson earned Big Ten Second Team honors with Northwestern last season and is anticipated to start when healthy.

But the future of the cornerback position looks very bright for Oregon. Lanning appears to have gotten an extremely motivated player in Finney.