Sophomore standout Brandon Finney Jr. eyes a dominant season in Eugene, leveraging elite length and refined coverage skills to anchor the Oregon Ducks' defense as a premier NFL prospect.
The Oregon Ducks are looking to avenge their 56-22 loss to Indiana in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Peach Bowl by reloading the defense to make a stronger run in December and January.
The Ducks lost safety Dillon Thieneman to the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, where he'll fill a much-needed void in the Chicago Bears secondary under defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
The Ducks found a replacement for Thieneman in Minnesota transfer Koi Perich.
Oregon's secondary could be even stronger in 2026 with cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. returning for his sophomore season. Finney recorded 42 tackles, one sack, two forced fumbles, three interceptions and seven passes defensed in his freshman year.
"As a true freshman last season, Finney registered three interceptions, including a pair during the Ducks' playoff shutout win over Texas Tech," Crawford wrote. "He checks the boxes that NFL scouts circle before they even turn on the tape.
"Finney has the length (6-foot-2), fluid hips, and closing speed that translate cleanly to the next level, but what separates him as a potential future first-round pick is how advanced he already is in coverage recognition. He doesn't just react -- he anticipates route combinations and understands spacing at a veteran level."
Finney made some changes to his style of play during the offseason. He believes he understands head coach Dan Lanning's system more after one season of play and another offseason of workouts.
Finney is planning to be a faster and more physical defender in 2026.
"It really started with, like, getting faster, actually changing how I run and whatnot," Finney said, via USA Today. "So I mean, I feel like a way faster, more agile player, a more physical player.”
Finney had an incredible freshman season, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors and winning the defensive MVP of the 23-0 Orange Bowl win over Texas Tech. In his second season in Eugene, he could be ready to make an even greater impact for the Ducks.