Oregon Transfer Portal – Syndication Server

How the addition of Emmanuel Pregnon impacts Oregon’s offensive line

The Oregon Ducks added former USC Trojans left guard Emmanuel Pregnon from the transfer portal, so here’s how it impacts the offensive line.

The Oregon Ducks scored a big-time pickup in the transfer portal on Tuesday morning, with former USC Trojans starting left guard Emmanuel Pregnon announcing that he would be coming to Eugene for his final year of eligibility in 2025.

Pregnon, who stands at 6-foot-5, 320 pounds, started all 13 games for the Trojans in 2024 and gave up zero sacks. He was among the top players to enter the portal this year, and the No. 1 interior offensive lineman available.

After starting his career with the Wyoming Cowboys, Pregnon entered the portal following a breakout season in 2022 and joined USC, passing on the Ducks in the process.

Now, though, he ends up with the Ducks once and for all, looking to boost his NFL draft stock in one year playing under A’lique Terry in Eugene. So how will he fit in the offensive line room, and what does his transfer mean for the Ducks up front?

Let’s take a look at a position-by-position basis:

Left Tackle

After landing former Nevada Wolfpack OT Isaiah World, the No. 1 OT in the transfer portal, the expectation is that he will take over as the starter in 2025. At 6-foot-8, 310 pounds, World is a picturesque blind-side blocker with a ton of talent. Behind him, we project that either George Silva or Fox Crader will act as the No. 2.

Left Guard

Dan Lanning has always said that he is going to work tirelessly to bring the most talented players to Eugene that he can, and introduce competition at every spot on the depth chart. He did exactly that with the transfer of Pregnon. Oregon already had Dave Iuli and Kawika Rogers projected to compete for the starting LG spot, but Lanning now brings in another highly talented player at the spot to try and push the production that much further.

If Pregnon can continue what he did in Los Angeles, then he will be named the starter. If Iuli or Rogers can beat him out for the starting job, then good on them. Regardless of the outcome, the Ducks have some incredibly talented players to choose from here.

Center

The addition of Pregnon doesn’t change anything at the center position, as Iapani Laloulu projects to be the starter for the second straight year after a solid 2024 season. Oregon could still use some depth at this position, but you have to wonder if the addition of Pregnon allows someone like Iuli to move over and play a bit of center as well. We will see in spring football who all is getting reps at this position.

Right Guard

The right guard spot is still a bit in flux at the moment, hinging on the decision from veteran Matthew Bedford. After transferring to Oregon from Indiana last year and projecting to be an above-average starter, Bedford suffered a knee injury in fall camp and missed the entire season. He can get a medical waiver and return in 2025 if he wants to, and the expectation is that he likely will go that route, but he is yet to make anything public.

In the case that Bedford does not return to Eugene, then the addition of Pregnon provides some flexibility for Oregon at the guard spot.

Right Tackle

The Ducks picked up former Texas State OT Alex Harkey in the portal this year, the No. 6 available OT in 2025. He slots in at the right tackle spot, taking over for Ajani Cornelius. He will have to compete with guys like Gernorris Wilson and Fox Crader for the starting spot, but we don’t expect that the addition of Pregnon will have any impact on this position.

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Oregon Ducks land former USC guard Emmanuel Pregnon out of transfer portal

The Oregon Ducks added a big-time commitment from former USC Trojans offensive lineman Emmanuel Pregnon.

It may have seemed as if the Oregon Ducks were wrapping things up in the winter window of the transfer portal after adding eight potential starters to the roster throughout the month of December and early January, but Dan Lanning had one last card to play.

Early on Tuesday morning, the Ducks got a verbal commitment from former USC Trojans offensive guard Emmanuel Pregnon, one of the top offensive linemen in the portal.

Pregnon made 13 starts at left guard for the Trojans a year ago, giving up zero sacks. He transferred to USC ahead of the 2023 season from Wyoming, and strongly considered the Ducks before teaming up with Lincoln Riley in Los Angeles.

At 6-5, 320 pounds, Pregnon is a veteran player with five years of experience under his belt. He signed with the Cowboys prior to the 2020 season. He only played one game in 2020 and 2021, but had a breakout year in 2022 and entered the portal as one of the top offensive linemen.

Now, Pregnon will come to Eugene with one year of eligibility remaining and look to compete for the starting left guard spot, going up against Dave Iuli and Kawika Rogers. Depending on what veteran Matthew Bedford decides to do, there is a chance that he could slot in at right guard as well.

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Where the Oregon Ducks could still look to add in the 2025 transfer portal

The Oregon Ducks have utilized the transfer portal well, but here’s where they could still stand to add some players this winter.

As has become the standard in Eugene under Dan Lanning over the last few years, the Oregon Ducks have done a fantastic job of utilizing the transfer portal so far this offseason.

Over the last month, the Ducks have added eight players to their roster, all of whom project to be starters in 2025 assuming that they can realize their potential. Meanwhile, Oregon lost 11 players to the portal though none of those players started regularly in Eugene.

So while the roster is starting to take shape for what is expected to be an eventful and exciting Oregon season in 2025, we have received a good look at this team’s strengths and where it can continue to build and improve.

The transfer portal is closed for a majority of teams in the nation, but players who have already entered are still able to move around and find their new teams. There will be a 10-day window after spring football for players to again make moves should they choose to do so.

While the Ducks have already made a lot of moves in the portal this year, there’s a chance that they could make a few more if the right players become available. Let’s break down a few positions where they might choose to look going forward, based on needs at each position:

Oregon Transfer Needs: “We’re Set”

The Ducks are in a great spot at the following positions with no need to bring in portal talent for either starting or depth spots:

Quarterback
Offensive Tackle
Defensive End/Edge

Analysis: This may be a smaller group than you would have expected, but you have to remember how Lanning likes to use the portal. If there’s an opportunity to get better, he’s going to try and take it. Only at a few position groups do I feel like the Ducks know they have absolutely elite talent that they would be unable to improve in the portal, and that’s under center with Dante Moore; at the tackle spot, where Oregon already picked up transfers Isaiah World and Alex Harkey; and at the defensive end/edge spots.

Oregon Transfer Needs: “Still a Chance”

The Ducks are in a good spot at the following positions, but could still stand to add a piece or two to add depth or get a high-level player if he becomes available:

Running Back
Wide Receiver
Tight End
Center
Interior Defensive Line
Cornerback

Analysis: This is the category where it feels like Dan Lanning thrives the most. Oregon has expected starters at each of these positions. In reality, they could feel confident going into the season with any of these position groups as constructed. But that doesn’t mean Lanning will not try to improve should the opportunity arise.

The Ducks brought in Makhi Hughes from Tulane at running back, and Malik Benson from Florida State at receiver, but if more talent becomes available and wants to play in Eugene, far be it for the Ducks to pass up on added depth. The same goes for the tight end position, where Oregon added Lousiville’s Jamari Johnson, but could still stand to add another depth piece in the room.

At center, you love what you have in Iapani Laloulu, but this might be one of the thinnest positions on the roster. The projected backup is a walk-on.

The interior defensive line and cornerback spots are in similar positions in my opinion: stocked with highly talented players who haven’t proven much just yet. Oregon added USC defensive lineman Bear Alexander and Northwestern cornerback Theran Johnson, but it feels like there is still a level that they can go up. Again, should the opportunity arise, don’t be surprised if Lanning jumps at it.

Oregon Transfer Needs: “Don’t Be Surprised”

The Ducks are in a solid spot at the following positions, but could add a player or two in the portal to shore up depth or add a high-level starter:

Offensive Guard
Linebacker
Safety

Analysis: If the Ducks are to add any more portal players this offseason, I would expect it to be at one of these positions. Assuming Matthew Bedford comes back for one more season, he will likely hold down the right guard spot. However, Oregon has been after USC guard Emmanuel Pregnon, trying to get him to come and compete with Dave Iuli for the left guard spot.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Ducks got a big boost when linebacker Bryce Boettcher announced his return for another year, but you could still stand to add some experience at the position, with Devon Jackson being the only other player at the spot going into 2025 with real experience under his belt.

And then there is the safety spot. I almost moved it to the “Still a Chance” category because I think Oregon truly does feel really good about where they are here after adding Purdue transfer Dillon Thieneman. However, a great deal depends on what Kobe Savage decides to do. If he returns for one more year, I think the Ducks are solid here. If he chooses to stay in the 2025 NFL draft, Oregon could certainly look to add a high-level player in the deep secondary. There are a few names out there who will likely come into view after the spring portal window opens.

Oregon Transfer Needs: “Desperation Mode”

The Ducks are in a bad spot at the following positions, and need to add a player or two in a starting capacity or for much-needed depth:

None

Analysis: Thanks to their movement in the early portal, the Ducks are able to check off this box. Should the season start tomorrow, I think Lanning can roll forward with complete confidence in his roster that the baseline is very solid at every position.

Before the portal, Oregon had desperate needs at tackle, running back, tight end, safety and cornerback. They worked to fill all of those. Yes, they could still stand to add a piece here or there, but for now, the roster is in a great spot at the start of the offseason as we head towards spring football.

Of course, things can change once we get to April and players inevitably choose to enter the portal after getting a feel for where they are on the depth chart, but that’s a bridge that we can cross when it comes.

For now, the Oregon Ducks are in a really good spot heading into the 2025 season.

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Oregon Ducks land transfer from Tulane RB Makhi Hughes

The Oregon Ducks landed a massive transfer from former Tulane Green Wave running back Makhi Hughes.

The Oregon Ducks landed another massive player of need out of the transfer portal on Tuesday, getting a commitment from former Tulane Green Wave running back Makhi Hughes.

Hughes, who rushed for 1,401 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024, will come to Eugene and play a huge role for the Ducks in 2025 as a redshirt junior with two years of eligibility.

After sitting out the 2022 season with an injury, Hughes played in 28 games over the past two season, rushing 523 times for 2,779 yards (5.3 YPC) and 22 touchdowns.

The transfer makes sense for Hughes, who just saw his younger half-brother, 5-star CB Na’eem Offord, sign with the Ducks as a member of the 2025 recruiting class. Offord chose Oregon over Ohio State and Alabama.

With the recently announced move that Jordan James is declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft, this move makes a ton of sense for Oregon as they look to replenish the backfield with talent and experience. While there are young players on the roster who have high ceilings, Hughes brings in experience and production at the position.

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Oregon Ducks land commitment from Florida State transfer WR Malik Benson

The Oregon Ducks officially landed a transfer form Florida State Seminoles WR Malik Benson, the former No. 1 JUCO player in the nation.

Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks made yet another splash in the transfer portal this offseason, picking up an elite playmaker on the outside with former Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Malik Benson.

Benson was the former No. 1 overall JUCO player in the nation before committing to the Alabama Crimson Tide ahead of the 2023 season. He then decided to transfer to Florida State for the 2024 season.

In his two years at the NCAA level, Benson has caught 38 passes for 473 yards and two touchdowns. Standing at 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, Benson poses a great deep threat on the outside and has some experience that he can bring to a young WR room in Eugene.

With Tez Johnson and Traeshon Holden both graduating, it made sense for the Ducks to bring in another playmaker on the outside. While we wait for Evan Stewart to make his decision on declaring for the NFL Draft public or not, the addition of Benson is a major boost for the Ducks’ receiving corps.

Along with Benson and potentially Stewart, Oregon will go into 2025 with talented, but relatively unproven players, like Kyler Kasper, Justius Lowe, Jurrion Dickey, Jeremiah McClellan, and true freshman Dakorien Moore, among many others.

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Oregon Ducks predicted to land Tulane RB in wake of Jordan James draft decision

The Oregon Ducks are expected to land a transfer from Tulane RB Makhi Hughes to replace Jordan James after his NFL Draft declaration.

The news came out on Monday morning that Oregon Ducks running back Jordan James would be declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft and not returning to Eugene for his final year of college eligibility.

This appears to be something that Dan Lanning and his staff were prepared for, as they are now in a good position to land one of the top rushers in the transfer portal this offseason, with Tulane Green Wave RB Makhi Hughes.

According to multiple reports, Hughes is predicted to transfer to Oregon after taking a visit to Eugene over the weekend.

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Hughes, who rushed for 1,401 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024, would come to Eugene and play a huge role for the Ducks in 2025 as a redshirt junior with two years of eligibility, should he commit to Oregon.

After sitting out the 2022 season with an injury, Hughes played in 28 games over the past two seasons, rushing 523 times for 2,779 yards (5.3 YPC) and 22 touchdowns.

The transfer would also make a lot of sense for Hughes, who just saw his younger half-brother, 5-star CB Na’eem Offord, sign with the Ducks as a member of the 2025 recruiting class. Offord chose Oregon over Ohio State and Alabama.

We will see if it ends up happening in the end, but don’t be surprised to see Lanning and the Ducks reload at the RB position and be in a great spot with Hughes going into 2025.

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Former Oregon Ducks 5-star QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele announces transfer destination

Former Oregon Ducks 5-star QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele announced where he will be landing after entering the transfer portal.

After spending a couple of weeks with the Oregon Ducks in preparation for the Rose Bowl against the Ohio State Buckeyes, 5-star quarterback signee Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele decided that he would rather go somewhere else and play as a true freshman.

On Friday, Sagapolutele announced that he would be entering the transfer portal and looking for a team where he could play right away as a true freshman. A couple of days later, Sagapolutele announced his transfer destination, and it comes as no surprise.

The 5-star QB will be transferring to the California Golden Bears, a school where he was committed to for a long time before flipping to the Ducks on signing day.

In Berkeley, Sagapolutele will compete with Chandler Rodgers and CJ Morris for the starting spot as a true freshman.

While the loss of a 5-star is never desired, the Ducks are in a great spot at the quarterback position and should be just fine going forward with Dante Moore taking over for Dillon Gabriel as the starter in 2025.

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Former Oregon 5-star QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele predicted to land with ACC team

A day after entering the transfer portal, former Oregon Ducks 5-star QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is projected to land in the ACC.

On Friday morning, it was reported that 5-star Oregon Ducks quarterback signee Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele was entering the transfer portal and leaving Eugene after just a couple of weeks with the team. Now, a day later, Sagapolutele is being predicted to land with an ACC team that was in on his recruitment from the start.

That ACC team is the California Golden Bears, who Sagapolutele was committed to before flipping to the Ducks on signing day. As the No. 1 player from the state of Hawaii in the 2025 class, going to Cal would offer a place close to home for the talented passer, and an opportunity to compete for the starting job right away.

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That second part seems to be a massive factor for Sagapolutele, who came to Eugene and practiced with the Ducks for a couple of weeks before seeing that he likely wouldn’t be able to take the starting spot from Dante Moore, opting to transfer instead.

We will see if Sagapolutele ends up with the Golden Bears in the end, but it is a move that would make a lot of sense for all parties involved.

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Assessing the future of Oregon’s QB position after 5-star Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele’s transfer

Assessing the future of the Oregon Ducks quarterback room after the transfer from 5-star Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele.

The Oregon Ducks woke up to news on Friday morning that 5-star quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele — who signed with the team and enrolled in December — was entering the transfer portal.

While the window has technically closed, teams who play in bowl games have an additional 5-day window for players to enter the portal if they choose to. Sagapolutele, who was rated as the No. 19 overall player and No. 4 QB in the 2025 class, according to On3, is expected to transfer rather than be released from his letter of intent, finding a new team.

This is objectively unfortunate news for Oregon fans, but the underlying reasoning may be positive in the end. I have confirmed with a source close to the situation that Sagapolutele’s goal was to compete for the QB1 spot in Eugene as a true freshman, but after practicing with the team for a couple of weeks and seeing the development and progress of sophomore Dante Moore, the incoming freshman decided he would have a better path elsewhere.

So where does that leave things for the Ducks? Let’s take a look at the QB room going forward and assess the situation.

Player Departures

Dillon Gabriel

After his one season with the Ducks, Gabriel will head off to the NFL after leading the team to a remarkable 13-0 regular season. He broke numerous records and was named a Heisman Trophy finalist. In the end, Gabriel likely wasn’t in Eugene long enough to leave a legacy like Bo Nix, Justin Herbert, or Marcus Mariota, but he certainly had a massive impact and will be remembered fondly as one of the best QBs in recent Oregon history.

Jaron Keawe-Sagapolutele

After his few weeks with the team, Sagapolutele will enter the transfer portal and look to join a new team where he has a good chance to win the starting QB position in 2025. At 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, Sagapolutele is a dynamic player with a strong arm, and he has a high ceiling as a college quarterback.

Returning Players

Dante Moore

With Gabriel now gone, the quarterback position is officially on between the remaining passers in Eugene — Dante Moore, Austin Novosad, and Luke Moga. There is a belief that Moore has a leg up on the competition, seeing as he spent a year as the starter for the UCLA Bruins before transferring to Oregon last year with hopes of taking the reigns after a year learning behind Gabriel. Expectations are high for No. 5.

Austin Novosad

A lot of fans are already rewarding Moore with the QB1 job in 2025, but let’s not be so quick to count Novosad out of the race. While Moore may be favored to win the starting job, there will still be an open competition for the spot, and based on what we’ve heard from players this year, Novosad has made great improvements and will be in the mix.

Luke Moga

Moga will compete for the starting spot, but with less experience than both Moore and Novosad, it’s fair to expect that he may serve as a backup for at least another year while one of the other two starts for Oregon in 2025.

Incoming Players

Akili Smith Jr.

With Sagapolutele transferring out of Oregon, Akili Smith Jr. is now the Ducks’ lone QB in the 2025 recruiting class, and he will come in and work to establish a place on the depth chart and work to earn the starting role in years to come after likely redshirting as a freshman.

Future Prospects

2026 4-star QB Jonas Williams

Oregon already has a commitment from 4-star QB Jonas Williams in the 2026 class. Williams is rated by 247Sports as the No. 7 QB and No. 101 player in the nation.

Other 2026 Prospects

The Ducks have been heavily recruiting a number of top QBs in the class of 2026, and are sitting in a good position with several of them. The names to look out for are as follows:

5-star QB Ryder Lyons
5-star QB Jared Curtis

Overall Position Outlook

In general, the Ducks are sitting in a great spot when it comes to the QB room, despite the transfer from Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. In 2025, Oregon has confidence that either Dante Moore or Austin Novosad will take over and be a dynamic passer for at least one year, and potentially two. In 2026, either the starter from 2025 remains for another year, the Ducks go to the backup, or the torch gets passed to a young player like Luke Moga or Akili Smith Jr.

Behind them, Oregon will a bevy of young talent to choose from to develop as the next passer.

Losing a 5-star player is never something that you want, but when it comes to the QB spot, the Ducks are in a good spot for years to come.

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Report: Oregon Ducks to host Florida State transfer WR for visit

The Oregon Ducks season came to a frustrating end on Wednesday afternoon at the hands of the Ohio State Buckeyes, but that hardly means that the work is stopping for Dan Lanning and his staff any time soon. Not long after the Ducks’ season ended vs. …

Not long after the Ducks’ season ended vs. the Buckeyes, a report came out from On3 showing that former Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Malik Benson was set to take a visit to Eugene in the coming days.

Benson was the No. 1 ranked player from the JUCO ranks in the class of 2023 when he transferred to the Alabama Crimson Tide. In Tuscaloosa, Benson caught 13 passes for 162 yards and 1 touchdown. After that one season, Benson transferred to Florida State, where he caught 25 passes for 311 yards and 1 touchdown.

Now in the portal once again, Benson is looking at the Ducks. He took a visit to Oregon and had the Ducks among his top schools before transferring to Alabama from the JUCO level, so there is a relationship already there for Lanning and WR coach Junior Adams to build off of.

Benson stands at 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, and would be a good addition to the Ducks WR corps on the outside.

Going into this portal season, it wasn’t clear if Oregon was going to go after a WR or not, simply based on the immense amount of young talent they already have at the position. But with Tez Johnson and Traeshon Holden graduating, and Evan Stewart potentially moving on to the draft as well, the Ducks could be in need of proven veteran receivers to take over.

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