Going into the 2025 season, there are a lot of questions about where production is going to come from for the Oregon Ducks. There isn’t a worry that the output will be there, but curiosity about which players will step up and become household names.
You have players like Dante Moore, Kenyon Sadiq, Dakorien Moore, and Makhi Hughes who stand as the front-runners. Beyond that, though, what are some names that might pop up as sleepers for Oregon in 2025?
ESPN recently released its predictions, and it believes that a transfer portal player could end up making the most significant difference for the Ducks. That transfer is former Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Malik Benson.
“It’s difficult to call a four-star wide receiver a sleeper, but given the kind of season Florida State had last year, Benson was not exactly the talk of the sport after putting up 25 catches for 311 yards and one touchdown,” ESPN’s Paolo Uggetti writes. “Now in Eugene, Benson has the tools to be exactly the kind of wideout that flourishes in Will Stein’s offense. With a new quarterback in Dante Moore taking the reins and Evan Stewart dealing with a serious injury, I wouldn’t be surprised if Benson becomes Moore’s top target this coming season.”
If Benson does end up flourishing, it would be a significant win for the Ducks. After Evan Stewart suffered an offseason knee injury that is expected to hold him out for most of, if not the entire 2025 season, then Oregon is going to need some playmakers to identify themselves out wide. While Moore, Kyler Kasper, Justius Lowe, Gary Bryant Jr., and Jeremiah McClellan should be in the mix, an experienced veteran like Benson would be a great bonus.
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