The Oregon Ducks weren’t always planning on taking a pair of cornerbacks in the transfer portal this offseason, but when an opportunity presents itself that you can’t pass up, then you take it.
That was the case when former Washington Huskies cornerback Jabbar Muhammad entered the transfer portal in the wake of head coach Kalen DeBoer leaving Seattle for Tuscaloosa. The Ducks worked quickly and ended up getting a commitment from Muhammed, a second-team All-Pac-12 player in 2023.
While Oregon was pretty set at the CB position following the addition of UTSA CB Kam Alexander earlier this month, you don’t pass on a player like Muhammad if he is interested in playing for you. In 2023, Muhammad had 46 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and 3 interceptions. He also had 16 PBU’s, and a coverage grade of 77.7, per PFF, which was fifth-best in the Pac-12 (minimum 300 snaps).
Before his time at Washington, Muhammad spent three seasons at Oklahoma State, where he racked up 71 tackles and 1 INT in two seasons on the field. He was also named to the second-team All-Big-12 in 2022.
Going into the 2024 season, Oregon’s secondary is now stacked with top-end talent, and promising young players with a chance to break out. With guys like Muhammad, Alexander, Jahlil Florence, Brandon Johnson, Dontae Manning, Rodrick Pleasant, Daylen Austin, Sione Laulea, and several other young guys, it will likely be as deep of a secondary as we’ve seen in a long time in Eugene.
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