December 5 marks one of the most important days on the college football calendar. The transfer portal will officially open on Monday.
In today’s era of collegiate sports, players now have the freedom to change schools at the end of each year and try to find a situation that is better suited for their career. With the addition of name, image, and likeness, it’s turned into a free agency of sorts, with players often entering the portal to try and see what type of deal they can get in order to play for a new team.
Whether you love it or hate it, that’s the way things are at the moment.
For the Oregon Ducks, it’s a system that will tend to benefit them. With a strong NIL collective allowing them to bring players to Eugene, and a national brand that gives talented players an opportunity to attract eyeballs on the field, a lot of athletes want to play for the Ducks. Look no further than cornerback Christian Gonzalez. The former Colorado Buffalo transferred to Oregon last season, played to the level of his talents, and is now being projected as a first-round NFL draft pick.
So are there other players who could follow a similar path to Eugene as Gonzalez? Absolutely. As the portal now opens, let’s take a look at some of the areas on the roster where the Ducks could stand to improve via additions from the portal.