Despite returning elite sack leaders and powerhouse interior defenders, CBS Sports places the Oregon Ducks behind two rivals, fueling a veteran unit anchored by Bear Alexander and Matayo Uiagalelei.
The Oregon Ducks are expected to have a solid secondary after adding Minnesota transfer Koi Perich this offseason.
He'll team up with cornerback Brandon Finney Jr., who had a solid freshman season in 2025. The Ducks have a good secondary, and they should get extra help this season thanks to an experienced defensive line with Matayo Uiagalelei, Bear Alexander, A’Mauri Washington, and Teitum Tuioti.
Blaker Brockermeyer of CBS Sports gave Oregon a somewhat motivational ranking for the front seven. He ranks the Ducks defensive line at No. 3 behind Miami and Oklahoma.
"The Ducks return the best defensive line in the country, led by returning interior starters Bear Alexander and A'Mauri Washington," he wrote. "Both rank among the nation's best run defenders and have steadily improved as pass rushers. They possess the power and knock-back ability to physically dominate opponents.
"Oregon also returns its starting edge tandem in Teitum Tuioti and Matayo Uiagalelei, who have combined for 35 career sacks. Both are outstanding athletes who move well on stunts and games and can take over obvious passing situations. Nasir Wyatt and D'Antre Robinson are expected to provide valuable depth along the defensive front."
Tuioti has made significant progress in each of his seasons with Oregon. He recorded 5.5 sacks in 2024 before registering 9.5 sacks in 2025. It stands to reason he has the opportunity to be in the double digits for sacks this year.
The defensive line gets most of the praise on the front seven but Brockermeyer argues the linebackers are good in their own right.
"The Ducks return two linebackers who gained valuable experience as reserves last season in Devon Jackson and Jerry Mixon," he wrote. "Jackson is expected to patrol the middle after recording more than 100 tackles while also showing the ability to affect the quarterback as a blitzer.
"Mixon is a physical thumper who thrives in the box and has enough athleticism to chase runs to the sideline. Gavin Nixshould be an important reserve at the second level. This is an elite front that should make life much easier for the back end of the defense because of the chaos it creates up front."
Oregon's defense should be the best part of the team. If they can hold up in the College Football Playoff, they could be the reason the Ducks win their first national championship.
