Oregon Ducks’ head coach Dan Lanning struck gold within the 2025 recruiting cycle.

While it’s often hard for a freshman to become an instant-impact player for a title-contending team in college, the Ducks managed to find not one, but two prospects that would go on to become key playmakers for the program last season.

According to PFF, the Ducks’ impressive running back duo of Dierre Hill Jr. and Jordon Davison were two of the highest-graded freshmen throughout the 2025 college football season.

As two of the highest-rated prospects in Oregon’s 2025 recruiting class, both Hill and Davison went above and beyond expectations as freshmen. Despite playing behind the likes of veteran running back Noah Whittington, Lanning was able to incorporate both freshmen into the mix over the course of last season.

Davison, who finished with a PFF grade of 89.1, was the shoo-in second running back behind Whittington last season. The California native ended the year with 667 rushing yards and a team-high 15 touchdowns on just 113 carries.

At 6-foot, 236 lbs., Davison is built to be a perfect early-down thumper for the rest of career at the college level. This was evident throughout his freshman campaign, as Oregon deployed him as the primary red zone back.

Alongside Davison was Hill, who managed to carve out a role on offense. Hill finished as the highest-graded freshman from last season with a PFF grade of 90.8.

Despite his limited workload compared to both Whittington and Davison, Hill’s numbers were surprisingly similar to the rest of the bunch. In 2025, the dynamic runner finished with 656 rushing yards and five touchdowns on just 75 carries, while also tallying 16 receptions for 137 yards and one touchdown through the air.

Now, with Whittington out of the picture heading into the 2026 season, it’s clear that the Ducks’ young running back tandem is poised for another huge year.

Looking at the roles of both playmakers, Hill and Davison’s skill sets are a perfect match. Davison’s ability to be a bruiser back will allow him to be a threat in both early-down situations and at the goal line. Hill, on the other hand, possesses elite explosiveness out of the backfield and will likely have a key role in 2026 as the Ducks’ change-of-pace back.

Together, the duo will provide enough stability on the ground for the Ducks.

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