Oregon Football: 3 newcomers who could turn heads in 2021 spring game
![GLENDALE, ARIZONA - JANUARY 02: Head coach Mario Cristobal of the Oregon Ducks congratulates Noah Sewell #1 after a defensive stop against the Iowa State Cyclones during the first half of the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl against the Iowa State Cyclones at State Farm Stadium on January 02, 2021 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) GLENDALE, ARIZONA - JANUARY 02: Head coach Mario Cristobal of the Oregon Ducks congratulates Noah Sewell #1 after a defensive stop against the Iowa State Cyclones during the first half of the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl against the Iowa State Cyclones at State Farm Stadium on January 02, 2021 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/ec6119d721c3873bb058065b1329003beefca252fa5f8151f6b25c5bc01ba800.jpg)
Oregon football is gearing up for a big weekend in Eugene. While there will be no fans in attendance, which puts a damper on the weekend’s events, the Ducks will finally take the field with cameras giving fans their first look at the 2021 version of the team.
The reigning Pac-12 champs will be returning plenty of talent as well as bringing in one of the top recruiting classes in the entire country, led by 13 early enrollees.
Those 13 newcomers will have a chance to prove themselves worthy of a spot on the two-deep heading into the summer.
Which newcomers will turn some heads and star in Oregon’s 2021 spring game?
While watching an offensive tackle isn’t exactly something on every fan’s list heading into the spring game, keeping an eye on the potential replacement for Penei Sewell will be something to monitor. Kingsley Suamataia is the Ducks’ top recruit in the 2021 class and the early enrollee and former top-35 recruit will be pushing George Moore at left tackle.
Moore is entering his seventh (!!) season as a collegiate athlete and while he’s pulling his best Van Wilder impression, he still has plenty in the tank and started all seven games for the Ducks in 2020.
Will the staff value Moore’s experience over Suamataia’s talent level? Adjusting to the offensive line as a true freshman isn’t easy, but the 6-5, 280-pounder from Utah could change that.
Suamataia could be the next star offensive lineman to come out of Eugene and it’ll be interesting to see how he fares against the Ducks’ defensive line which will feature two new starters at tackle and Kayvon Thibodeaux standing up as a linebacker as opposed to just an end.