With the current rules as it pertains to the transfer portal, it’ll be a rare sight to see an incoming freshman spend all four or even five years with the same program. It’s difficult for fans to get attached to the players and coaches often don’t see the fruits of their labor as the player develops and then makes an impact somewhere else.
Oregon and Dan Lanning sure hopes that won’t be the case for defensive end/linebacker hybrid Matayo Uiagalelei.
He made strides in his freshman season, but in 2024, Uiagalelei is expected to be that dominate defensive player everyone envisioned him to be when he was recruited out of California.
According to CBSSports.com and writer Will Backus, fans better learn how to spell and pronounce Uiagalelei as he should become a household name fairly soon.
“Oregon has a deep front seven that will likely rotate plenty of players, but few have more upside than Uiagalelei,” Backus said of the Ducks’ rising star. “He already had three tackles for loss and two sacks in his first year of college football and provides versatility with the option of lining up at either outside linebacker or defensive end for the Ducks. He’ll play both this fall, providing him plenty of opportunity to blow his impressive first-year production out of the water.”
The Ducks have tremendous talent on the defensive side of the ball and will be an opposing quarterback’s nightmare. Oregon thinks Uiagalelei will be in a lot of Big Ten quarterback faces many times in 2024.