As we get back into the world of football this week with the Oregon Ducks resuming spring practice, we continue our series of career projections, looking ahead at what might be possible for some of the top players on the roster.
Earlier in the week we projected what the career numbers might look like for running back Bucky Irving, assuming that he plays for another two seasons at Oregon, and mapped out where that could place him among the all-time career rushers for the Ducks.
Now we want to do the same for wide receiver Troy Franklin. After a solid start to his career as a freshman in 2021, Franklin really experienced a breakout season in 2022 with QB Bo Nix and offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham spurring him along. Under the new offensive scheme that Dillingham brought to Eugene, Franklin was able to elevate himself to become one of the best wide receivers in the Pac-12, and we expect that trend to continue in 2023, with a possibility that he could announce himself as one of the best WRs in the nation, and a potential candidate for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the best receiver nationwide.
Going into this year, Franklin is the clear No. 1 option on the depth chart, and he will enjoy another year of chemistry with Nix, who is among the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy ahead of the season.
Should Franklin continue on the trajectory that we saw from last season, where might he end up in the Oregon history books? That’s a question we set out to predict.