Three potential Oregon Ducks breakout players for the 2024 college football season
The Oregon Ducks are on the precipice of potential greatness heading into the 2024 college football season. Dan Lanning has been building a monstrous roster. They were knocking on the playoff's door in 2023. But in order for the Ducks to take the final step towards making the 12-Team College Football Playoff and winning a […]
The Oregon Ducks are on the precipice of potential greatness heading into the 2024 college football season. Dan Lanning has been building a monstrous roster. They were knocking on the playoff's door in 2023. But in order for the Ducks to take the final step towards making the 12-Team College Football Playoff and winning a championship, a few key breakout players are going to have to play like never before this fall. Of course Dillon Gabriel, the new transfer quarterback, will have to dominate this season, but who else could make or break the Ducks' season with a breakout performance?
There are several potential breakout players on the Oregon Ducks to watch for this fall, but let's talk through three that could completely change the course of the season if they step their game up to the peak of their potential in 2024.
Evan Stewart, Wide Receiver
Texas A&M blew their shot at having a top five wide receiver in the country with Evan Stewart. This former five star recruit had his talent largely wasted by the Aggies, tallying over 500 receiving yards in both of his first two seasons, but never truly being unleashed due to overall offensive ineptitude.
However, that didn't stop the new EA Sports College Football 25 video game from rating him as one of the best wide receivers in the sport. Not only that, he and teammate Tez Johnson both have speed ratings of 95 (just about as fast as you can get) in the game.
If Evan Stewart's elite speed, route running, and top tier ball skills are properly utilized by Dillon Gabriel and the Ducks fast paced, quick-hitting offensive scheme he could post one of the most significant breakout seasons in the entire country this fall.
Matayo Uiagalelei, Edge Defender
The vast majority of Oregon's starters are upper class players, but Matayo Uiagalelei is one of the few exceptions because he's just so talented. Last season he flashed potential at times as a true freshman, playing over 300 snaps as a pivotal edge defender, but he'll be asked to step up into a far more significant role this season.
Now that Brandon Dorlus is gone, Uiagalelei should step into a more versatile role, lining up in a wider variety of pre-snap positions, asked to win in multiple ways. If Uiagalelei can step up to that challenge Oregon should force significant pressure off the edge paired with Jordan Burch on the other side of the defensive line. At 6'5", over 270 pounds, this former four star could be a stud this season.
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Jordan James, Running Back
The Oregon Ducks had two of the most efficient and elusive running backs in the nation last year with Bucky Irving and Jordan James. Now that Irving has moved on to the NFL, James will be asked to carry a massive workload in 2024, but he should be up to the task.
James averaged over seven yards per touch in 2023, forcing a missed tackle on over a third of his carries and receptions. He also averaged more than four yards after contact for the Ducks last season showing incredible balance and way more than adequate speed to simply bounce off hits left and right.
James has long been a favorite of head coach Dan Lanning, since he was the lone blue chip Georgia commit to flip and follow him to Oregon that off-season back in 2022. He'll make sure that James gets every opportunity to be the breakout star that he deserves to be in 2024.
Be looking for more Oregon Ducks coverage here at A to Z Sports all year long! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) on X (Twitter) for all the latest football news!
And if you want to see the incredible skills that should make Jordan James a household name in 2024 just check out the video below!
