Tag: Oregon Defense

4-star edge rusher Zina Umeozulu names Oregon as one of top schools

Check out EDGE prospect Zina Umeozulu’s — who named Oregon as one of his top schools — recruiting profile.

As the 2024 recruiting season matures, the number of blue-chip recruits interested in the Oregon Ducks continues to grow. Today, 4-star edge rusher Zina Umeozulu announced his top nine schools, one of which is the Ducks. Umeozulu is ranked by 247Sports as the 141st player in his class and 11th best EDGE.

Umeozulu is from Allen, Texas, and his top schools seem to reflect a liking for his home state and its surrounding region. Of the nine schools he named, five are in Texas or in a state that borders Texas. In addition, Umeozulu’s only two scheduled official visits are with Texas and Oklahoma.

One thing that could make Oregon an attractive target for Umeozulu is the interest of another high-quality 2024 pass rusher, Elijah Rushing. According to On3, the Ducks are the favorite to land Rushing, who many think is the best pass rusher in the 2024 class.

Historically, edge rushers do much better when they have a quality teammate on the other side of the D-line, because it prevents the O-line from focusing too much on one or the other. If Rushing is to come to Oregon, Umeozulu could be attracted by the prospect of being part of a powerhouse freshman pass-rushing tandem.

 

Zina Umeozulu’s Recruiting Profile

5-star DL Aydin Breland sets official visit to Eugene

A Top-10 recruit in the class of 2023 has scheduled a visit with the Oregon Ducks.

Earlier this month, 5-star defensive lineman Aydin Breland, announced the Oregon Ducks as one of his top 12 schools. On Tuesday, Breland announced that Oregon, Georgia, and Miami will be where he takes three of his five available official visits. His visit with the Ducks is scheduled for June 23rd, which is the last of the three.

Breland is currently a student at Mater Dei High School, a California school known for churning out college and NFL talent. Currently, Breland is rated as a 5-star player by 247Sports, which also rates him as the sixth-best player in the country, and the second-best DL.

In 2023, it seems likely that Oregon’s star defensive linemen will be the returning Duck, Brandon Dorlus, and South Carolina transfer Jordan Burch. However, Dorlus and Burch are both seniors and after 2023, the Ducks will likely need to find talented pass-rushers and run-stoppers to replace them. If Oregon is able to attract Breland, he could be a perfect replacement for Dorlus or Burch and could even have the potential to be an All-American.

Aydin Breland’s Recruiting Profile

Former Ducks CB Jalil Tucker commits to SDSU

Former Ducks CB Jalil Tucker commits to SDSU.

Former Oregon Ducks CB, Jalil Tucker, has announced that in 2023, he will be a San Diego State Aztec. Tucker’s commitment comes a little more than a month after he entered the transfer portal, a year after coming to Oregon.

Tucker will be a freshman in 2023 after redshirting in his first season with the Ducks. Out of high school, Tucker was a 4-star recruit and was rated the ninth-best CB in the country, according to 247Sports.

Oregon has brought in several talented defensive backs in the past few recruiting cycles which has made for a crowded CB room. Some of those pickups include Colorado transfer, Nikko Reed, Alabama transfer Khyree Jackson, and freshman Cole Martin. It is possible that Tucker desired a bigger role than what he would get with the Ducks in 2023, despite his talent.

Another important thing to note is that Tucker came to Oregon along with his high school teammate, Jahlil Florence, who is also a CB. Both Tucker and Florence are from San Diego, which likely factored into Tucker’s choice to play at SDSU. In 2022, Florence had a bigger role in the Ducks’ defense, playing eight of 13 games. It’s unfortunate that the playing careers of these longtime teammates will no longer coincide, but hopefully, Tucker will see more success for himself at SDSU.

5-Star DL schedules official visit to Oregon

The Ducks may be in the running for another elite defender in the 2024 class.

A few weeks into the 2024 recruiting cycle, many players nationwide are placing the Oregon Ducks among their top schools. One of the most talented players to express an interest in the Ducks is the 5-star defensive lineman, Williams Nwaneri.

Earlier this month, Nwaneri named Oregon as one of his top 10 schools. This Sunday, he showed more interest in the Ducks after he announced that Oregon would be one of his five official visits. An official visit is a visit that is paid in full by the university whereas unofficial visits require players to pay their own way. Currently, recruits are allowed official visits to a maximum of five schools, which has led to the belief that an official visit to a given school indicates a player’s strong interest in that program.

In 2024, Ducks’ DL Brandon Dorlus is expected to go to the NFL, and Oregon will need to find a suitable replacement. While there is talent on the depth chart below guys like Dorlus, the addition of a player like Nwaneri would still have an immediate positive impact.

Williams Nwaneri Recruiting Profile

4-Star CB names Oregon as one of his top schools

Another 4-star recruit in the class of 2024 names UO as one of his top schools. Check out CB Selman Bridges here:

Since coming to Eugene last year, head coach Dan Lanning and defensive backs coach Demetrice Martin have recruited an abundance of highly-skilled DBs. Former Alabama CB Khyree Jackson, high school track star Rodrick Pleasant, and 4-star Cole Martin — Demetrice’s son — were all recruited under the tandem of Martin and Lanning.

Now at the start of the 2024 recruiting cycle, Lanning and Martin seem to have another talented DB interested in Oregon. Yesterday, CB Selman Bridges named UO as one of his top nine schools. Bridges is a 4-star player who hails from Texas, which is the state home to four of his other top schools.

At 6’3″ Bridges is much taller than the typical CB, but he still possesses the breakaway speed that is vital for a lockdown corner. In coverage, he seems most comfortable in man-to-man sets, and he is capable both in the press and when he is backed off the line.

Even though Oregon has a surplus of young DBs, Oregon could still be an enticing destination for Bridges. In the 2023 NFL draft, former Duck Christian Gonzalez was the second CB selected, and a program’s ability to produce NFL-caliber CBs is a strong selling point.

Selman Bridges Recruiting Profile

Projected Salary and signing bonus for New Carolina Panther LB, DJ Johnson

Projected Salary and signing bonus for New Carolina Panther LB, DJ Johnson

DJ Johnson just became the second Oregon Duck taken in the 2023 NFL draft. He was selected by the Carolina Panthers with the 17th pick of the 3rd round, and the 80th pick overall.

As a Duck, Johnson collected 64 total tackles with 39 of them coming last year. At the combine, Johnson ran a 4.49 40-yard dash, which is quick for an edge rusher. Scouts have also identified that his ability to jump off of the line post-snap is quicker than most, especially on third downs.

The 80th pick in last year’s draft was Greg Dulcich, a tight end taken by the Denver Broncos. Dulcich made $849,000 last year under a contract valued at $5.2 million to be paid out over the next four years, per OverTheCap.

This year it seems Johnson will be a bit luckier. His contract is valued at $5.6 million and he will receive a signing bonus of $1.1 million. If Johnson is paid the same share of his contract as Dulcich was in 2023, he will make $914,000 next season.

Since the departure of Luke Kuechly, the Panthers have been in desperate need of a good linebacker. Only time will tell if that LB will be DJ Johnson, but hopefully, he will be the change that the Panthers’ defense needs.

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NFL assistants have mixed reviews about former Ducks CB Christian Gonzalez

“He’s a no-brainer.” “I’m a little fearful of his demeanor.” “I think he’s unbelievable.” NFL coaches have differing opinions of Christian Gonzalez.

One of the most welcome surprises for the Oregon Ducks in 2022 was the strong play of cornerback Christian Gonzalez.

Gonzalez was recruited as a 4-star CB by the University of Colorado and put up two solid years in Boulder before coming to Oregon. Gonzalez was anticipated to be a solid addition to the Ducks’ defense, but his output last season was a large improvement from his play at CU and exceeded all expectations. 

After his stellar 2022 campaign, Gonzalez is projected to be a first-round draft pick, likely being taken with one of the first 15 picks. Ahead of the draft, an anonymous NFL defensive coordinator said this to The Athletic. 

“He probably has the best measurables in a corner to come out since maybe Jalen Ramsey. He’s not an absolute savage and doesn’t have that cornerback attitude, but the coaches at Oregon’s say he’s a no-brainer and is gonna work hard,” he said.

The Athletic also surveyed two unnamed NFL defensive backs coaches. The first gave strong reviews for Gonzalez while the second wasn’t so sure.

DB coach 1: “I think he’s unbelievable. He’s so talented. The most ready-made guy out here. His technique is really sound.”

DB coach 2: “I’m a little fearful of his demeanor. He’s not really wired like a corner. Against his best competition, he struggled. Against Georgia, he struggled. Drake London the year before really got after him. I think he’s really good in press. The other thing about him is (that) the wide receiver appears covered all the time because he’s so big and long, and he does have great recovery speed. His judgment and winning at the top of the route isn’t as great, and you’ll see him misjudging balls a little when he’s in position. Not gonna be a physical tackler at all.”

In summary, there seems to be a consensus that Gonzalez has the athletic traits required to be a successful NFL CB, but there may be issues with the mental side of his game. The defensive coordinator said that he “doesn’t have that cornerback attitude.” This could mean there are concerns about his ability to focus on detailed aspects of a one-on-one matchup. It could also mean that he is unsure of Gonzalez’s ability to brush off mistakes — something that is vital for CBs to be able to do.

It is always difficult for NFL organizations to identify which college cornerbacks will be successful as pros and which ones won’t. While there are concerns about Gonzalez’s mentality, he is still a highly sought-after prospect and hopefully, he can be impactful to whatever defense he will soon be a part of. 

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Dontae Manning looking for breakout season in fourth year at Oregon

It’s taken a while for Dontae Manning to find his footing in Eugene, but 2023 might be the season he breaks out.

Since before he began his college career, Dontae Manning, a cornerback for the Oregon Ducks, has had big things expected of him. He expects the same things of himself and recognizes that his past two seasons haven’t cut it. 

“I felt like I left a lot of plays out there that I could have made for my teammates and for this defense,” he said. 

In the class of 2020, Manning was a 5-star recruit for the Ducks and was the fourth-best cornerback recruit in the country according to 247Sports. To this day, he is still the highest-rated CB to ever sign at Oregon. Unfortunately, he was kept off the field that year for what would’ve been his freshman season. Manning’s seasons in 2021 and 2022 weren’t bad, but not at the level of someone who was previously expected to be a first-round draft pick.

Despite not yet reaching the heights we were promised, Manning is optimistic and excited for the 2023 season. He has been working hard this spring to develop what he recognizes as the weaker parts of his game.

“Working on my ball skills, using my length more, and more physicality just for myself, but just being able to use my tools and create a bigger tool bag,” he said.

One reason for fans to be optimistic is that 2023 will be the first time Manning plays under a defensive system that he already knows. This will be Manning’s fourth season as a Duck, but it will be his first playing with the same head coach and defensive coordinator two years in a row, which is something he thinks he will benefit from.

“From year one to year two is massive,” Manning said. “Year one was like a trial run. We know the system, we know the coaches, and we know what we’re supposed to do with the technique. So then it’s just adding pieces to it, now adding pieces for me to go to that next level.”

This offseason, Oregon lost star cornerback Christian Gonzalez — who is projected to be taken in the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday. Additionally, former 4-star corner Jalil Tucker announced on April 15th that he is leaving Eugenes and entering the transfer portal.

Following both of these losses, the Ducks need a cornerback who is capable of locking down the elite receivers Oregon will face in 2023. Entering 2023, there is no reason it can’t be Manning that steps up to the occasion. With his talent, humility, and the benefit of a complete season under Lanning’s system, he can still be an elite corner, and the Ducks will need him to be. 

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‘I wish I did it earlier;’ Jamal Hill discusses move from safety to linebacker

Jamal Hill is transitioning from safety to linebacker for the Ducks this year, and so far he’s loving the move.

Utilizing his extra year of eligibility due to COVID, and entering his fifth season, Oregon Ducks defender Jamal Hill will be undertaking a major change. After being recruited as a safety, and playing in that role for the last four years, Hill is transitioning up in the box to play inside linebacker. 

The decision to change positions was made this past winter when Hill was looking for ways to modify his game to help the team. Head coach Dan Lanning and defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi suggested that he try a move from the secondary to linebacker. 

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It’s important to note that for the 2023 season, the Ducks have brought in four high-quality safeties — two out of high school in the 2023 recruiting class, and two from the transfer portal. In addition, 4-star linebacker Keith Brown announced that he is entering the transfer portal, depleting that position more than it already was. The added depth at safety and the newfound hole at the linebacker position could be a reason for Hill’s change in position.

So far, Hill seems to have embraced the change.

“It’s been fun, honestly,” he said. “I kind of wish I did it earlier.”

One of the reasons for his enthusiasm is that he is “close to all the action.

“I feel like I’m gonna be able to play a lot faster,” Hill said.

Stopping the run and bringing down ball carriers has been a strong suit of Hill’s in the past. In 2022, he logged 50 total tackles, grabbing 35 by himself, which should hopefully translate well to playing down closer to the line of scrimmage. 

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While Hill is enjoying the transition, it has challenged him.

“Everybody’s bigger. I’m used to kind of being the bigger person outside. Now everybody is bigger than me,” he said.

In an effort to combat this, Hill has adopted a new daily pushup routine, which has been assisted by teammate and Ducks running back, Bucky Irving. The two bust out 300 pushups per day. This has led to a roughly 15-pound weight gain over the offseason for Hill.

While Hill believes there are adjustments to be made this spring, he isn’t too worried about his ability to get to where he needs to be by the time fall rolls around. 

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“I mean, yes, it’s growing pains here and there. But I mean, it’s just football for me. So I don’t really think nothing is too hard,” he said.

Looking toward next season, ESPN’s Football Power Index has placed the Ducks at 13th in the country before the start of the season.  Some of the defensive struggles we saw last season could be why the Ducks aren’t ranked higher. Hopefully, Hill can use his veteran experience to make the Ducks’ front seven more consistent this spring and in the 2023 season. 

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