Oregon Freshman Newcomer Must Make Immediate Impact This Fall

The Oregon Ducks are loaded at every single unit on the roster besides the offensive line. 

The Ducks had a solid offensive line for most of the regular season, but the unit didn't hold up well during contests against Texas Tech and Indiana in the College Football Playoff.  Still, the offensive line sent three players to the NFL this offseason.

The Ducks will need to find three new starters who can make an impact right away and, frankly, help the offensive line play even better than it did last season. 

Oregon prides itself on having an offensive line that can run the ball, but as we saw against Indiana, Dante Moore has to stay upright and unfazed for the offense to succeed.

Billy Tucker of ESPN has high hopes for freshman offensive tackle Immanuel Iheanacho, who has the opportunity to make an impact right away for the Ducks.

"Massive and powerful, Iheanacho has the same plug-and-play ability as (Miami OL Jackson) Cantwell," Tucker wrote. "The difference is Oregon doesn't have the same immediate needs. 

"That being said, although the Ducks have a lot of players returning, they don't necessarily have a great deal of experience across the line. Iheanacho was one of last year's most coveted prospects in the 2026 recruiting class as a five-star and fifth overall prospect in the class."

It's unclear if Iheanacho will earn a starting spot in Week 1, but Tucker thinks his sheer size will cause the Ducks to play him this season, and will likely turn into a starter at some point during his freshman season.

"The 6-7, 350-pound lineman has size to maul defenders," Tucker wrote. "Though he is massive with an NFL-ready frame coming out of high school, Iheanacho moves well at his size. He has the feet to play on the edge and the power to play inside at guard. 

"His punch is strong and he holds well at the point of attack. With Iheanacho it's not a question of will he be a starter, it's how fast will that occur because he has all the talent to anchor an offensive line."

Iheanacho could shoulder an intense responsibility as a freshman during the CFP. It's imperative that the Ducks get their starting five right, because it could determine how far Oregon goes in the CFP. 

Iheanacho will have a chance to earn the starting job in training camp, but Oregon could decide to wait until he shows improvement during the regular season. 

Regardless, the coaching staff needs to be willing to change up the lineup to put the best starting five out week-to-week.