A lot of the hype around this Oregon Ducks defensive line being on the interior, but it's the edge that could really shine next season.
The Oregon Ducks came up just a game shy of the National Championship last season, losing to the eventual champs, the Indiana Hoosiers. This upcoming season, they're out to finish the job.
When you look at most of the preseason polls, it looks like they're well on track to accomplish that goal. The NCAA, Sports Illustrated, and most others have the Oregon Ducks ranked as the number two overall program in the country.
There are a multitude of reasons for them being ranked as highly as they are. They're coached by one of the most elite head coaches in the nation, Dan Lanning, and they've had an outstanding recruiting class, and they have some stellar returning players.
Most people are talking about the return of players like Dante Moore and Amauri Washington, but these two edge rushers look set to wreak havoc this upcoming season.
PFSN Says Oregon's Teitum Tuioti and Matayo Uiagalelei Could Be Top Pass Rushing Duo
When you look at Oregon's returners on defense, the interior defensive linemen, Amauri Washington and Bear Alexander, get a lot of love, and rightfully so. Both chose to return despite Washington being a projected first-rounder and Alexander being projected to go somewhere in round two or three.
Despite the warranted hype around the interior of the defensive line, PFSN says Oregon might have the top edge pairing in the country next season in Teitum Tuioti and Matayo Uiagalelei.
In PFSN's college edge impact score, they graded Tuioti out with an 81.9 score and Uiagalelei with an 81.8. Oregon is the only team in the country with two top-10 returning edge defenders.
Last season, the combination of Tuioti and Uiagalelei combined for 102 total tackles, 15.5 sacks, 8 passes defended, and 4 forced fumbles. They're set to do the same and wreak havoc off the edge this season.
With Washington and Alexander, the inside of the defensive line will get an immense amount of focus every game. That, paired with their natural talent, will allow for Tuioto and Uiagalelei to combine to create arguably the most talented defensive line in all of college football.
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