2024 Cornerback Outlook: It’s time for the young Ducks to take over
The 2023 season is now behind us, and while there is still a bowl game to be played — The Fiesta Bowl vs. The Liberty Flames — Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks are working hard on the construction of their roster and hitting the transfer portal in attempts to formulate what this team will look like going into the 2024 season, the team’s first year in the Big Ten Conference. While they work on bringing new players in via the transfer portal, we want to look at the future breakdown of each position, detailing current players on the roster, incoming recruits, and potential targets on the market right now.
So far this offseason, we’ve broken down the future of the Quarterbacks, Running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, and offensive line. Now let’s focus on the defensive secondary.
The Oregon Ducks have found a lot of success over the past two years when it comes to landing a high-end cornerback out of the transfer portal. Whether it was Christian Gonzalez or Khyree Jackson, Dan Lanning and Demetrice Martin have consistently identified lock-down players who could help their defense instantly for a season before going off to the NFL.
They might not need to do that this offseason.
While there is a hole to fill at the CB1 spot in Eugene with Jackson leaving for the professional level, a belief resides that the Ducks will look at one of their home-grown players to step into that role rather than relying on the transfer portal once again. Of course, if the right person jumps into the portal that the Ducks feel can make them better, I believe they would take a swing, but the talent currently exists on the roster to have Oregon’s secondary as good as we’ve seen in years.
With NFL Draft decisions, impending transfers, and incoming freshmen, here’s a glance at the outlook for cornerbacks going into next season:
2023 Departures
(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
Khyree Jackson
Trikweze Bridges
Khyree Jackson is heading off to the NFL after using up his last year of eligibility with the Ducks. His single season in Eugene went about as well as he could have hoped, as he boosted his draft stock and undoubtedly made it so he will be selected with a draft pick in April rather than signing somewhere as an undrafted free agent.
Elsewhere, Trikweze Bridges entered the transfer portal, which was not one of the biggest surprises. There are a few other players on the roster at this position who could end up leaving, but for the most part, it feels like the room is pretty solid.
Already Rostered: Jahlil Florence
(AP Photo/Andy Nelson)
Career Stats: 19 Games | 35 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sack, 2 INT, 1 PBU
Years of Eligibility: 2 Years
2024 Major Impact Likelihood: High
Analysis
Going into the 2024 season, I think it feels pretty safe to say that Jahlil Florence will be viewed as the leading candidate to take over as the CB1 on the defense. He was the starter alongside Khyree Jackson in 2023, and he played great when on the field. The defense definitely suffered when he had to miss time at the end of the year. This has been one of Dan Lanning’s most important guys from the day he took over at Oregon, so I expect big things from him going forward.
Already Rostered: Dontae Manning
Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
Career Stats: 35 Games | 62 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT, 7 PBU
Years of Eligibility: 1 Year
2024 Major Impact Likelihood: Medium-High
Analysis
Dontae Manning has had a long career at Oregon, and he has certainly grown since coming to Eugene as the highest-rated CB in school history. When Jahlil Florence missed time at the end of the year, it was Manning who stepped up into the starting role. I think that he will have to fend off either Rodrick Pleasant or Daylen Austin next year for the starting spot, though.
Already Rostered: Nikko Reed
Craig Strobeck-USA TODAY Sports
Career Stats: 34 Games | 69 tackles, 5 TFL, 2 sacks, 3 INT, 14 PBU
Years of Eligibility: 1 Year
2024 Major Impact Likelihood: Medium-High
Analysis
Nikko Reed played well in 2023, but he operated in more of a nickel or STAR role rather than as a true corner. We will see if that continues going forward, but the flexibility that he showed throughout the season was impressive. He will certainly be a big part of the defense going forward, no matter where on the field that is.
Already Rostered: Rodrick Pleasant
Career Stats: 6 Games | 3 tackles, 1 PBU
Years of Eligibility: 3 Years
2024 Major Impact Likelihood: Medium-High
Analysis
We saw some flashes of really great play from Rodrick Pleasant as a true freshman, but he didn’t get a ton of opportunities throughout the year, playing only 46 snaps in the season. I wouldn’t at all be surprised to see him rise up the depth chart next season, though. He is a very talented player who could be a major player on the defense for the Ducks, and their reliance on home-grown talent partly centers around him.
Already Rostered: Daylen Austin
Photo Courtesy of Daylen Austin
Career Stats: 3 Games | 3 tackles, 1 PBU
Years of Eligibility: 1 Year
2024 Major Impact Likelihood:Medium
Analysis
Much like Rodrick Pleasant, I think that a big part of Oregon’s desire to utilize home-grown talent and stay away from the transfer portal at the CB position relies on Daylen Austin stepping into a playmaker role in 2024. He was a highly-rated recruit who Dan Lanning wanted in Eugene badly, and he could rise up the depth chart quickly with a full offseason and a strong spring performance.
Already Rostered: Solomon Davis
Photo Courtesy of Oregon Athletic Department
Career Stats: 0 Games
Years of Eligibility: 4 Years
2024 Major Impact Likelihood: Low
Analysis
Solomon Davis didn’t get an opportunity to show what he could do as a true freshman, but I’m curious to see how much he is able to improve after a full offseason at the college level, and what type of impact he can have in 2024.
Already Rostered: Collin Gill
Career Stats: 0 Games
Years of Eligibility: 4 Years
2024 Major Impact Likelihood: Low
Analysis
Much like with Solomon Davis, we need to see a lot more from Collin Gill before declaring that he can have a major role on this defense. The offseason and spring will be very important for him to show that he has a spot on this roster going forward.
Incoming Recruit: Sione Laulea
(AP Photo/Ashley Landis )
Career Stats: 20 Games (JUCO) | 42 tackles, 1 sack
Years of Eligibility: 2 Years
2024 Major Impact Likelihood: Medium
Analysis
Sione Laulea was one of the bigger recruiting wins that the Ducks got in the 2024 class, and they’re getting a talented JUCO player who could potentially have an impact in his first year at the FBS level. I’m excited to see what Laulea can do in spring ball, and whether or not he can establish himself as a contributor on the defense.
Incoming Recruit: Dakoda Fields
247 Sports Recruiting Rating: 4-star (No. 82 overall, No. 7 CB)
2024 Major Impact Likelihood: Medium-Low
Analysis
I think that expectations should be high for Dakoda Fields in his Oregon career. He is a player who originally committed to USC, but the Ducks kept after him and eventually flipped him to their own class. He is a highly-rated player with a really high upside. I don’t expect him to have a major impact early on because of the depth in front of him, but he will be interesting to watch early on.
Incoming Recruit: Ify Obidegwu
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
247 Sports Recruiting Rating: 4-star (No. 117 overall, No. 12 CB)
2024 Major Impact Likelihood: Low
Analysis
Much like Dakoda Fields, I think the ceiling is pretty high for Ify Obidegwu in Eugene, but I’m not sure we see much from him in 2024 as a true freshman because of the depth in the room in front of him.
Transfer Portal Targets: Georgia CB Nyland Green
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Career Stats: 24 Games | 12 tackles, 0.5 TFL, 2 PBU
Years of Eligibility: 2 Years
Analysis
In the off-chance that the Ducks do decide to go after a cornerback in the transfer portal, it will be interesting to see if they go after Nyland Green. As a former 5-star prospect whom Dan Lanning recruited to Georgia, there is clearly a relationship there. At this point, it’s about whether or not Oregon feels that they have a need.
Transfer Portal Target: Oregon State CB Jermod McCoy
Career Stats: 12 Games | 31 tackles, 0.5 TFL, 2 INT
Years of Eligibility: 3 Years
Analysis
The Ducks have extended a scholarship offer to Jermod McCoy, so they are clearly interested if the true freshman wants to travel about 45 miles south and join the Ducks in Eugene. McCoy had a really solid freshman year with the Beavers, and would be a great addition to the CB room.
2024 Cornerback Confidence
Confidence in Future Success: Medium-High
Should the Ducks stay out of the CB1 market in the transfer portal, I think it shows a lot of confidence in the talent they already have on the roster. With Jahlil Florence, Dontae Manning, Nikko Reed, and the young guys in the room, Lanning and Martin feel like they’ve got a group of players who can compete at a high level. On top of that, there are some really talented players coming in the 2024 class that should keep the standard at a high level.
