The Oregon Ducks picked up the No. 1 ranked offensive tackle in the transfer portal, landing former Nevada Wolfpack OT Isaiah World.
Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks went into the transfer portal in 2024-25 with a major need to likely replace both start offensive tackles after the season ended.
So far, they’ve done a fantastic job of filling those spots.
On Tuesday, Oregon landed a commitment from former Nevada Wolfpack offensive tackle Isaiah World, the No. 1 ranked OT in the transfer portal this year. World stands at 6-foot-8, 310 pounds, and now comes to Oregon with one year of eligibility remaining.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Ducks also got a commitment from former Texas State OT Alex Harkey, the No. 6 ranked OT in the transfer portal. Now with those two players, Oregon can feel confident going into the 2025 season with a replacement for right tackle Ajani Cornelius, and likely with a replacement for left tackle Josh Conerly Jr., who is expected to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft.
World was among the most coveted players in the portal this year, with teams like the Ohio State Buckeyes,Texas A&M Aggies, and Nebraska Cornhuskers vying for his services. In the end, it was the Ducks who were able to win him over, thanks to the direct path to playing time, and the West Coast connections for the former San Diego player who went to high school at Lincoln, and was teammates with Oregon cornerback Jahlil Florence before going off to college.
The Oregon Ducks picked up a pair of big commitments on Wednesday, so here is an updated look at their transfer portal needs going forward.
Once the transfer portal opened last week, Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks were in a slow burn, but the fire has been lit over the last week.
The Ducks picked up their first commitment of the class over the weekend with the addition of former Purdue Boilermakers safety Dillon Thieneman, the No. 1 available S. Thieneman chose the Ducks over the likes of Ohio State, Georgia, and LSU.
On Sunday, Lanning and the Ducks followed that up with another addition, getting a commitment from former Northwestern Wildcats cornerback Theran Johnson, a redshirt junior with 103 tackles and 3 interceptions in his career.
There are still several positions that Oregon needs to fill in the portal this offseason, but the Ducks are off to a good start, filling major needs on the roster at big positions of need. Let’s take a look at some other positions that the Ducks can try to hit in the portal over the next few weeks.
Offensive Tackle
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We always knew that Oregon was going to need to add one offensive tackle through the portal this year, and with the elite play we’ve seen from Josh Conerly over the last couple of months, it’s becoming pretty clear that they’re going to need two of them.
Both Ajani Cornelius and Conerly are likely going to head off to the NFL this offseason, so the Ducks need help on the edges of the offensive line. They got a great piece in Alex Harkey on Wednesday, the No. 6 OT in the class, but they still need another blocker.
Fortunately, it seems like they are in a good position to get one. Former Nevada OT Isaiah World, the No. 1 OT in the portal, put the Ducks among his top schools and is currently on a visit in Eugene. Should Oregon get a commitment from him, they would be sitting pretty going into the new season.
Inside Linebacker
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The Ducks have a lot of great depth at the inside linebacker spot, but with guys like Jeffrey Bassa, Bryce Boettcher, and Jestin Jacobs graduating, the need for experience is there. Devon Jackson is the only returning player at the position with a lot of production, and while you feel confident in guys like Brayden Platt, Dylan Williams, and Kamar Mothudi, Oregon still needs to have more experience and production at this critical spot going into a new season.
Running Back
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There’s a chance that the Oregon Ducks have one of the best and most experienced running back rooms in the nation next year, or a chance that they are in desperate need of some help in the transfer portal. All of that depends on what both Jordan James and Noah Whittington decide to do.
Starting with James, the 1,000-yard rusher in 2024 has another year of eligibility remaining, should he want it, and a chance to bolster his draft stock. He could also choose to declare for the NFL Draft this offseason after the best year of his career. Similarly, Whittington has another year of eligibility as well after a medical redshirt in 2023 following his knee injury. He could be well-served by another season at Oregon before going off to the NFL.
Tight End
The Ducks added a really solid tight end on Wednesday with the addition of Jamari Johnson, but I still list this position as an area of need because I think you could use some more depth here. It is no longer the top position of need, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Oregon try and find another player here, more of the blocking variety — think Casey Kelly, rather than Kenyon Sadiq.
With both Terrance Ferguson and Patrick Herbert graduating, Oregon’s TE room is getting drained this year. There are still young players like Roger Saleapaga, AJ Pugliano, and incoming freshman Vander Ploog on the roster, but you need more proven depth and experience than that to feel comfortable going into a new season.
Wide Receiver
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The Ducks have to feel great about the talent that they have at the wide receiver position. However, both Tez Johnson and Traeshon Holden are graduating this year, and there’s a chance that Evan Stewart goes on to the NFL as well, though Oregon is working hard to bring him back for another year. If Stewart leaves, I think the Ducks absolutely need a proven WR out of the portal. Even if Stewart stays, it still wouldn’t be a shock to see Oregon add a pass-catcher, but it becomes less of a need.
Harkey is a massive addition for this offensive line that is in need of a tackle this offseason with Ajani Cornelius graduating. There is a good chance that the Ducks need a second tackle as well, with the expected need to replace Josh Conerly, who many believe will go off to the NFL Draft after this season.
Harkey was rated as the No. 6 OT in the transfer portal, according to On3, and he brings a big 6-foot-6, 305-pound frame with him to Eugene. Harkey will have one year of eligibility remaining when he arrives with the Ducks.
Oregon is also in a good spot to land former Nevada OT Isaiah World, who is in Eugene right now for a visit. He is the No. 1 ranked OT in the transfer portal this year, and is currently in Eugene on a visit.
With the additions of Johnson and Harkey, the Ducks are now up to four transfer portal additions this year.
The Oregon Ducks landed a big transfer portal commitment from former Louisville Cardinals tight end Jamari Johnson.
Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks made their first big splash in the transfer portal this offseason, getting a commitment from former Louisville Cardinals tight end Jamari Johnson.
Johnson, who caught 13 passes for 158 yards and 1 touchdown in his two seasons at Louisville, will be a redshirt sophomore next year, with three years of eligibility remaining.
Standing at 6-foot-5, 265-pounds, Johnson brings elite size to Oregon’s offense, where he can serve as both a blocking tight end, and someone who can go up and get jump balls in the passing game. Pairing that skill set with Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq is an intriguing proposition for the Ducks.
As a former 4-star recruit, Johnson was familiar with Oregon when getting into the portal this offseason. Before signing with Louisville in the class of 2023, the Ducks tried hard to flip Johnson to commit to Oregon. As we often see in this new transfer portal era, they were ultimately able to get him to sign with the Ducks, though it took a couple of years.
Going into the offseason, tight end was among the biggest roster needs for Oregon, with both Terrance Ferguson and Patrick Herbert graduating. While Sadiq is expected to be one of the best players on the team going into 2025, you always need depth and talent at the position.
The Oregon Ducks have put themselves in a great position to land the No. 1 ranked offensive tackle in the transfer portal.
One of the biggest needs for the Oregon Ducks to fill this offseason is at the offensive tackle position, with one and potentially two starting spots to fill after the 2024 season is over.
Dan Lanning and Co. are working hard to fill that need with an elite prospect, too. According to On3’s Hayes Fawcett, former Nevada Wolfpack offensive tackle Isaiah World placed the Ducks among his final three schools that he is considering, alongside the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Texas A&M Aggies.
World is the No. 1 ranked offensive tackle in the portal, and the No. 20 overall player. Standing at 6-foot-8, 320 pounds, World is a massive body that has played left tackle for the Wolfpack.
Should he end up committing to the Ducks, it would be interesting to see which side of the line he plays on. At the moment, we know that right tackle Ajani Cornelius is graduating after this year, and there is a chance that left tackle Josh Conerly Jr. will declare for the NFL Draft after a career season that saw him named an Associated Press third-team All-American.
The Ducks are planning to get World to Eugene in the coming days for a visit and try to seal the deal on his recruitment.
Oregon Ducks EDGE Jaeden Moore announced that he intends to enter the transfer portal and leave Eugene in the 2025 offseason.
Oregon Ducks edge rusher Jaeden Moore announced on Monday that he would officially be entering the transfer portal during the 2025 offseason and ending his time in Eugene.
Winston is a redshirt freshman who has been with the Ducks for the past two years, playing in 13 games and racking up 6 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 QB hurries, 2 pass breakups.
As a former 3-star prospect who was rated by 247Sports as the No. 724 player in the 2023 class, Moore brings a solid upside to teams who are looking for a strong pass rusher.
As for the Ducks, Moore is the second EDGE to announce that they are transferring away from Oregon this offseason, joining redshirt sophomore Emar’rion Winston. Despite that, his departure isn’t a major surprise. With the young talent on the roster at that position, it makes sense that he would want to go to another team to find a clearer path to playing time, rather than competing with the likes of Matayo Uiagalelei, Teitum Tuioti, Blake Purchase, and Elijah Rushing for snaps.
An updated look at the Oregon Ducks transfer portal needs after the latest additions on the defensive side of the ball.
Once the transfer portal opened last week, Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks were in a slow burn, but the fire has been lit over the last two days.
On Saturday, Oregon made a big splash in the portal, landing former Purdue Boilermakers safety Dillon Thieneman, the No. 1 available S. Thieneman chose the Ducks over the likes of Ohio State, Georgia, and LSU.
On Sunday, Lanning and the Ducks followed that up with another addition, getting a commitment from former Northwestern Wildcats cornerback Theran Johnson, a redshirt junior with 103 tackles and 3 interceptions in his career.
There are still several positions that Oregon needs to fill in the portal this offseason, but the Ducks are off to a good start, filling major needs on the roster at cornerback and safety. Let’s take a look at some other positions that the Ducks can try to hit in the portal over the next few weeks.
Tight End
Yes, the Oregon Ducks still have Kenyon Sadiq on the roster, who is expected to be among the best tight ends in the nation next year. Yes, they still have a big need for at least one, and potentially two tight ends in the transfer portal this year.
Depth is needed at that position, and with both Terrance Ferguson and Patrick Herbert graduating, Oregon’s TE room is getting drained this year. There are still young players like Roger Saleapaga, AJ Pugliano, and incoming freshman Vander Ploog on the roster, but you need more proven depth and experience than that to feel comfortable going into a new season.
Running Back
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There’s a chance that the Oregon Ducks have one of the best and most experienced running back rooms in the nation next year, or a chance that they are in desperate need of some help in the transfer portal. All of that depends on what both Jordan James and Noah Whittington decide to do.
Starting with James, the 1,000-yard rusher in 2024 has another year of eligibility remaining, should he want it, and a chance to bolster his draft stock. He could also choose to declare for the NFL Draft this offseason after the best year of his career. Similarly, Whittington has another year of eligibility as well after a medical redshirt in 2023 following his knee injury. He could be well-served by another season at Oregon before going off to the NFL.
Offensive Tackle
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We know that right tackle Ajani Cornelius is headed off to the NFL after this season, so the Ducks could use an experienced offensive tackle to come in and replace him. What we still need to see is whether or not left tackle Josh Conerly is going to declare for the draft as well. Conerly has had a great season, and his draft stock has definitely been rising. Oregon will try to convince him to stay, but if they’re unable to, then OT becomes arguably the top need in the portal this offseason.
Inside Linebacker
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The Ducks have a lot of great depth at the inside linebacker spot, but with guys like Jeffrey Bassa, Bryce Boettcher, and Jestin Jacobs graduating, the need for experience is there. Devon Jackson is the only returning player at the position with a lot of production, and while you feel confident in guys like Brayden Platt, Dylan Williams, and Kamar Mothudi, Oregon still needs to have more experience and production at this critical spot going into a new season.
Wide Receiver
Photo Courtesy of Ethan Landa
The Ducks have to feel great about the talent that they have at the wide receiver position. However, both Tez Johnson and Traeshon Holden are graduating this year, and there’s a chance that Evan Stewart goes on to the NFL as well, though Oregon is working hard to bring him back for another year. If Stewart leaves, I think the Ducks absolutely need a proven WR out of the portal. Even if Stewart stays, it still wouldn’t be a shock to see Oregon add a pass-catcher, but it becomes less of a need.
The Oregon Ducks picked up a transfer portal commitment from Northwestern Wildcats CB Theran Johnson on Sunday afternoon.
The Oregon Ducks landed their second transfer portal addition of the weekend on Sunday morning, getting a commitment from former Northwestern Wildcats cornerback Theran Johnson.
Johnson, who is going to be a redshirt senior, comes to Oregon as a veteran playmaker who will look to take over the role that has been held by Jabbar Muhammad, Khyree Jackson and Christian Gonzalez over the years.
In four seasons with the Wildcats, Johnson racked up 103 tackles and 3 interceptions with 18 PBUs and one interception for a touchdown.
The Ducks have needs to fill in the secondary this offseason. Muhammad, Kobe Savage, Tysheem Johnson, Brandon Johnson and Dontae Manning are graduating. They have done a good job so far, getting a second defensive back from a Big Ten school to stay in the conference and flip to the Ducks.
The Oregon Ducks landed a transfer from former Purdue Boilermakers safety Dillon Thieneman in the transfer portal.
Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks made their first big splash in the transfer portal.
On Saturday afternoon, former Purdue Boilermakers safety Dillon Thieneman announced his commitment to the Oregon Ducks for the 2025 season. Thieneman has been one of the biggest names in the portal this offseason, and the No. 1 available safety.
In two years with Purdue, Thieneman had 210 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, one sack and six interceptions. He notched more than 100 tackles in each of his first two seasons.
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Thieneman was not highly recruited out of high school. He was a three-star recruit from Indiana with offers from Purdue, Indiana, Northwestern and Ball State. After his incredible two seasons, though, he became one of the most sought players in the portal this year. Oregon and Ohio State were among those vying for his commitment.
In the end, the Ducks won out. Now, Oregon is able to plug Thieneman into its starting safety spot after losing three starters to graduation. In 2024, Tysheem Johnson, Kobe Savage and Brandon Johnson played major roles on the defense. Thieneman hopes to pick up where they left off.
Oregon Ducks EDGE Emar’rion Winston announced that he intends to enter the transfer portal and leave Eugene in the 2025 offseason.
Oregon Ducks edge rusher Emar’rion Winston announced on Friday that he would officially be entering the transfer portal during the 2025 offseason and ending his time in Eugene.
Winston is a redshirt sophomore who has been with the Ducks for the past three years, playing in 30 total games. During that time, he has racked up 27 tackles and one tackle for loss.
As a former 4-star prospect who was rated by 247Sports as the No. 28 player EDGE in the 2022 class, Winston brings a solid upside to teams who are looking for a strong pass rusher.
As for the Ducks, Winston’s departure isn’t a major surprise. With the young talent on the roster at that position, it makes sense that he would want to go to another team to find a clearer path to playing time, rather than competing with the likes of Matayo Uiagalelei, Teitum Tuioti, Blake Purchase, and Elijah Rushing for snaps.
