2024 Safeties Outlook: Ducks need to find some help in the portal
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, offensive line, cornerbacks, defensive line, and edge rusher. Now let’s focus on the safeties.
Oregon has some recent success with the transfer portal in getting safeties to come to Eugene and make an immediate impact and the Ducks need to most likely do it again for the 2024 season.
They lose a lot of talent at that spot due to graduation and outgoing transfers. While the players on the roster are talented, they are lacking in experience for the most part. It’s not a spot you want to be in as you go into the Big Ten Conference. Securing the services of a couple of safeties in the portal might be almost as important as getting Dillon Gabriel at quarterback.
Here’s a breakdown of Oregon’s safety position going into 2024, and some transfer targets that the Ducks are looking at.
2023 Offseason Departures
Steve Stephens IV
Evan Williams
Bryan Addison
Daymon David
That’s a lot of talent to lose at one position, especially when it comes to safety, but this is where the Ducks are at right now. Stephens is graduating, as is Williams. Addison is transferring to UCLA and freshman Daymon David is looking for greener pastures elsewhere.
Oregon struck gold in the portal with Williams as he fit right in after spending time at Fresno State. The Ducks are mining the portal once again for someone(s) similar to Williams and whether they find it or not will be a big story in 2024.
Already Rostered: Tysheem Johnson
Career Stats: 39 games | 193 tackles, 12 TFL, 2 sacks, 3 INT, 9 PBUs
Years of Eligibility: 1 Year
2024 Major Impact Likelihood: High
Analysis
Tysheem Johnson is the veteran-most safety on the Ducks roster, and he was one of the most important defenders on the roster in 2023, playing almost 100 percent of the team’s defensive snaps. He should once again be the leader of the defense going forward, regardless of who the team brings via the transfer portal.
Already Rostered: Cole Martin
Photo Courtesy of Ethan Landa
Career Stats: 13 games | 218 snaps, 20 tackles, 1 INT
Years of Eligibility: 3 years
2024 Major Impact Likelihood: Medium-High
Analysis
Unless Oregon receivers some immediate help via the transfer portal, you’re looking at the starting safety for the 2024 season. As a true freshman, Martin managed to play in every game and played well. He’s a four-star recruit out of Arizona and was rated as the No. 1 corner out of Arizona, but as a freshman, he moved over to safety.
Already Rostered: Tyler Turner
Career Stats:3 games | 18 snaps
Years of Eligibility: 4 years
2024 Major Impact Likelihood: Low
Analysis
Turner came into the Oregon program as a four-star recruit out of San Antonio and redshirted the 2023 season. It’s unlikely he’ll see time on the field next season other than on special teams.
Already Rostered: Kodi DeCambra
Career Stats: 1 game | 10 snaps
Years of Eligibility: 4 years
2024 Major Impact Likelihood: Low
Analysis
Just like his teammate Tyler Turner, Kodi DeCambra came into the Dock program as a four-star recruit, but he came from Honolulu. At 6-foot and 188 pounds, DeCambra will need to bulk up some during the off-season and he will likely be a special teams performer in 2024.
Already Rostered: Khamari Terrell
Photo Courtesy of Ethan Landa
Career Stats: 18 games | 14 tackles, 1 PBU
Years of Eligibility: 2 years
2024 Major Impact Likelihood: Medium-Low
Analysis
Khamari Terrell is one of the more promising young players on the roster, but he hasn’t been given a massive opportunity to show what he can do just yet. I expect that to change going forward, with Terrell having a big chance to breakout in the bowl game and spring ball.
Incoming Recruit: Aaron Flowers
247 Sports Recruiting Rating: 4-Star (No. 90 overall, No. 9 Safety)
2024 Major Impact Likelihood: Low
Analysis
Given the lack of depth at this position and his overall ranking, Flowers has a chance to step on the field right away. Whether or not he makes an immediate impact remains to be seen. But the sooner he steps onto campus in Eugene, the sooner he steps out onto that Autzen field.
Transfer Target: Kobe Savage
Career Stats: 22 games | 711 snaps, 115 tackles, 6.5 for loss, 6 INT
Years of Eligibility: 2 years
2024 Potential Impact: High
Analysis
Savage has been Oregon’s No. 1 target at safety almost as soon as he declared he was transferring out of Kansas State. Considering the help they need, Savage would start right away and it would be a huge bonus to get someone of his quality to join a young secondary as the Ducks enter the Big Ten Conference.
Transfer Target: Corey Ellington
Career Stats: 27 games | 606 snaps, 93 tackles, 4 for loss, 2 sacks
Years of Eligibility: 2 years
2024 Potential Impact: Medium
Analysis
Ellington is visiting the Oregon campus this week and while Savage is No. 1 on the list, Ellington is definitely 1a. Obviously the best answer here for Dan Laning is to successfully recruit both players to play for the Ducks. Should that happen, the Oregon secondary would be lethal. Ellington is an SEC veteran and playing in the Big Ten wouldn’t intimidate him one bit.
