Derrick Brown Jr. committed to Oregon Wednesday, a transfer defensive tackle from Howard University. 6-5, 295.
From Fort Washington, Maryland, Brown Jr. redshirted in 2022 and played three seasons for the Bison, making the Mid-Eastern Conference All-Academic Team in 2022. He posted 56 tackles and three sacks over three seasons, 4.5 tackles for loss.
Chris Hummer of 247Sports reports that he has two seasons of eligibility remaining, as does Adam Rittenberg of ESPN. He started 16 games over the last two seasons at Howard.
In a brief highlight film from his days in the MEAC, Brown stands out as a gap-plugger and a persistent big man who rushes with his head up and looks to shed blockers and get to the ball. He'll encounter larger, stronger guys in the Big Ten, but he has time to prep his body for that challenge.
In a short YouTube video, he prepared for Computer Science class he said, "As a kid I always wanted to get into computers and gaming and I wanted to create games."
Rebuilding the numbers with deft moves, eight weeks before spring practice
The Oregon staff has stayed busy in mining the Transfer Portal and high school recruiting after losing seven defensive linemen to the portal in December and January. They've rebuilt depth by adding D'antre Robinson from North Carolina, edge Bleu Dantzler from Oregon State, 6-4, 330 Jerome Simmons from Louisiana-Monroe.
Howard DL Derrick Brown Jr. is set to enter the portal with 2 years of eligibility, a source told ESPN. The 6-5, 295-pound Brown has 56 tackles and 3 sacks over the past two seasons. pic.twitter.com/YhPVS8eW9i
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) December 16, 2025
From the high school ranks they've added Anthony "Tank" Jones, the five-star from Alabama, Anthony "poppa" Jones from Irvine, California, Willamette High School's Tony Cumberland, Lincoln High School San Diego product Prince Tavizon, St. John Bosco three-year starter Dutch Horisk.
Most importantly they induced Matayo Uiagalelei, Teitum Tuioti, Bear Alexander, A'Mauri Washington and Teitum Tuioti to return for their senior year, one of the best, most complete starting defensive lines in college football.
They've rebuilt the numbers successfully, a daunting challenge in this crazed new world. The homework, negotiation and persistence that took is not to be underestimated or devalued, particularly in an era where the season stretches from September to the last week of January.
When the talent out winds up at Missouri, Notre Dame, Alabama and Ole Miss, it'd be a foolish optimism to call it a net gain. But the Oregon staff has done everything possible to have the numbers, talent, potential and culture to compete in college football's crazed new world.