It’s no secret that Oregon football is one of the most talented teams in the country, on paper, heading into the 2021 season. The Ducks have a good chunk of their top 30 all-time commits, per the 247Sports Composite, on the current roster which makes for a scary sight for opponents.
The Ducks also return plenty of production from last season, including the offensive line, the entire starting receiving corps, both rushing leaders, and six starters on the defensive side of the ball.
To say that the Ducks have enough talent to make a run at the playoff would be an understatement and they’ll get plenty of solid tests all year against the likes of Ohio State, Washington, UCLA, and Utah.
Defensively, Oregon might have one of the best units in the country but the offense may not be quite as star-studded heading into the season despite having a wealth of depth. The household names will come, though.
Which offensive players could make a push for that All-Pac-12 first team this season?
I’m a big believer that Alex Forsyth is going to be a force to be reckoned with this upcoming season. He’s already been named to Athlon Sports’ preseason All-Pac-12 second team.
There’s already talk that the junior plans on returning for another season in 2022. It’s rare you hear about one of the top players in the country at a certain position planning on coming back the following year before the season even starts but that’s great news for the Ducks.
Oregon is in good hands with Forsyth leading the offensive line in 2021 and even though he’s not a star like Penei Sewell was, he’s a steady force in the middle.
Oregon State’s Nathan Eldridge and UCLA’s Sam Marrazzo are the other candidates who I could see pushing Forsyth for first-team All-Pac-12.