In three years as Oregon head coach, Dan Lanning has never lost a starter in the transfer portal.
The Ducks take a targeted and strategic approach to the portal, an effort spearheaded by chief of staff Marshall Malchow with an emphasis on evaluation, character and fit.
It's paid big dividends, resulting in 35 wins, a Big Ten Championship and 24 players selected in the NFL Draft over the last three seasons.
For 2025 the Ducks picked 11 players in the portal and all 11 are slated to make the two-deep. Nine are likely starters and among those, at least six will be impact players in the Big Ten.
Since December 18 student-athletes have left the Oregon program via the transfer portal, but none of these were projected to be starters while no more than two looked to make the two-deep roster this fall. They left to find opportunity.
The guys who left include some good players, a few of who might blossom at their next stop, but the sting factor isn't high simply because the Oregon roster is so deep and well-balanced.
The Gains: Lanning, Ducks prepare to defend Big Ten Title
Oregon signed two of the highest-rated transfer players in the country in safety Dillon Thieneman and left tackle Isaiah World.
Thieneman, a junior from Purdue, racked up six interceptions and 210 tackles in two seasons in West Lafayette, a Freshman All-American rated the No. 6 available player in the portal by On3 Sports.
Oregon sent a half dozen players from the secondary to the NFL after last season, so a veteran safety to guide and direct a blue-chip group of young players like Aaron Flowers, Kingston Lopa, Trey McNutt and Na'eem Offord was a critical need.
Thieneman was the highest-rated safety in the portal.
The 6-0, 207 ballhawk from Westfield, Indiana has already established a fierce standard in leading by example in practice, individual workouts and film study.
“His attention to detail, his work ethic, is unlike anyone I've ever coached. The guy's relentless in his pursuit for greatness." ----Chris Hampton, Oregon secondary coach
Thieneman zeroed in on why Oregon has so much success in the portal. At spring practice he said, “It was definitely a big factor in that I saw that Oregon is really good at taking in transfers and developing them and transitioning them to the next level."
World, 6-8, 309 is a massive, athletic left tackle who posted an 82.3 pass blocking grade from PFF last season at Nevada. Numerous mock drafts have him going in the first round next year, On3's No. 5-ranked player in the portal and the No. 1 left tackle.
In all, the Ducks signed seven players ranked in On3's portal Top 150:
16. Running back Makhi Hughes, 2,779 yards and 22 touchdowns in two seasons at Tulane
27. Offensive guard Immanuel Pregnon In 13 games at USC last season, he did not allow a sack.
72 Right tackle Alex Harkey Texas State, 6-6, 335, projected to start at RT for the Ducks
84 Cornerback Theran Johnson, Northwestern, 2nd team All-Big Ten in 2024
125 Defensive tackle Bear Alexander, 6-3 320 47 tackles and 1.5 sacks at USC in 2023
In addition, the Ducks nabbed punter James Ferguson-Reynolds from Boise State, a former Australian Rules Football player from Geelong, Victoria who averaged 49.7 yards a kick in 2023, a Ray Guy Award semi-finalist.
Jadon Canaday from Ole Miss will make the two-deep at nickel, while former Florida State receiver Malik Benson has 10.44 speed in the 100. He caught 25 passes for 311 yards and a touchdown for the Seminoles last year.
Jamari Johnson, 6-6, 265, is a likely contributor at tight end, a three-star prospect from Louisville who caught 13 passes for 158 yards and a touchdown in just five games last season.
The losses: Good athletes, but few who would have made the two-deep
Of the 18 players who entered the portal from Oregon, only Emarrion Winston and Rodrick Pleasant would have seen much playing time in Eugene.
Winston was second on the depth chart behind Matayo Uiagalelei at outside linebacker/defensive end. He appeared in 12 games last year and started one.
The Ducks are very high on the development of outside rushers like Blake Purchase, Elijah Rushing, Ashton Porter and Xadavien Sims. While a good player, Winston was wise to enter the portal and find a place he can start.
Oregon's highest-rated transfer out was quarter Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, who flipped from Cal on Signing Day, enrolled early at Oregon, joining the team for Rose Bowl practice, then, discouraged by what he had seen, entered the portal to flip back to Cal.
Sagapolutele has talent and will compete to play right away in Berkeley, where Josh Wilcox lost starting quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the top five running backs and the starting tight end to the portal.
At Oregon he would have started 2025 no better than fourth on the depth chart, and Oregon's other 2025 quarterback signee, Akili Smith Jr., showed promise in the Spring Game.
On the offensive line the Ducks lost two depth pieces in tackles JacQawn McRoy and George Silva. On the defensive line Jaeden Moore, My'Keil Gardner and Jaxson Jones all have ability but none were slated for significant snaps in Tosh Lupoi's defense, all though all three could thrive at new stops.
The Ducks lost backup punters Luke Dunne and Tyler Kinson, kicker Grant Meadors, 4th team receiver Ryan Pellum, 5th team tight end Travis Brashear. They're all Division I athletes, though a few will have to move down to find playing time or a new opportunity in the sport.
Cornerback Rodrick Pleasant opted out for a new gig at UCLA. Pleasant was Oregon's fastest player, a sprinter who broke the California state record as a prep in a time of 10.14.
Pleasant is gifted, but in the crowded, talented Oregon secondary the 5-9, 180 sophomore played in four games last year and made one tackle.
Fall camp will no doubt produce some additional inevitable attrition, but overall, Oregon's gains in the portal make this a Top Ten team going into 2025. The losses, while fine athletes and good people in no way alter the Ducks floor or their ceiling.
Oregon's effort in the portal was a slam dunk. They continue to be one of the best-run organizations in college football.