Dan Lanning’s title hopes hinge on a revamped front five featuring elite interior veterans and emerging tackles tasked with stonewalling the Big Ten’s fiercest pass rushers.
The 2026 college football season is right around the corner, which means it's time to examine the Oregon Ducks' roster before Week One.
Head coach Dan Lanning did an impressive job of retaining multiple key starters from the previous season, and his efforts could lead to a much-deserved National Championship this year. But for the Ducks to reach the promised land, it's clear that the program must win up front in the trenches.
Here's everything you need to know about the Ducks' offensive line for the upcoming season.
Oregon's Offensive Line Outlook
Oregon offensive lineman Iapani Laloulu, left, and Oregon offensive lineman Demetri Manning run as the Oregon Ducks practice at Barry University ahead of the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30, 2025, in Miami, Florida (Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard)This year's offensive line will feature a combination of key returners and newcomers. However, the offensive tackle position on both sides of the line will be a huge question mark heading into the upcoming season.
At left tackle, redshirt sophomore Fox Crader is projected to take over the position in 2026. Crader played in nine games for a total of 138 snaps last year, while also getting the starting nod in Week 13 against the USC Trojans. Throughout his limited playing time in 2025, Crader excelled as a pass blocker, as he finished with PFF pass-blocking grade of 88.0. The rising tackle possesses the tools to become a terrific offensive tackle at the college level, but will have to make promising steps in 2026.
On the other side of the offensive line, former Yale star left tackle Michael Bennett III will look to take over the position for the Ducks this season. The two-year starter has plenty of experience under his belt, with 2,003 total snaps played with the Bulldogs. Bennett was outstanding at the FCS level, but his biggest adjustment will come this season when he faces the likes of the top pass rushers in the Big Ten Conference.
Luckily for Lanning and his squad, there will be some familiarity up front at both guard positions in Dave Iuli and Kawika Rogers.
Iuli is one of two starters from last season, finishing with zero sacks allowed over 907 offensive snaps in 2025. Rogers, on the other hand, played in nine games for the Ducks as a swing offensive lineman, but has played a majority of his offensive snaps on the interior of the line. The duo should be the most important part of Oregon's front line of defense on offense, as both have the experience to help the newest tackles.
The final and most critical piece of the offensive line, however, is at the center position with Iapani Laloulu.
As one of the preseason frontrunners for the Rimington Trophy (the best center in college football), Laloulu could have entered the 2026 NFL Draft but decided to return for a final season. With a veteran leader up front in Laloulu, he will be the centerpiece of the unit in 2026.
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