Redshirt freshman Dillon Gresham shines in Oregon's spring game

That came out of nowhere... Redshirt freshman wide receiver Dillon Gresham showed up and showed out for Oregon's spring game. The California native had three catches for ninety yards, with a touchdown as well. This was an effort that took many by surprise.

Now regrettably, he was not on my list of receivers who could be a starter in 2024. However, he did not appear in a single game in 2024, and there had been no spring whispers or indications of his development whatsoever. The lack of conversation around someone as talented as Gresham speaks volumes of the depth and talent that Oregon has at the top of their receiver depth chart.

Even with Tez Johnson and Traeshon Holden departing for the NFL, there is still a healthy amount of production returning. Evan Stewart, Gary Bryant, and Justius Lowe highlight the returning production, with Dakorien Moore and Jeremiah McClellan as the two highest ceiling, young wideouts.

Considering that, it will be very tough for Gresham to crack the starting lineup, but after today's performance, the two deep does feel like a possibility, but even that feels like a bit of a reach, considering Will Stein likes to vary the size and skillsets of the receivers on the field. With that said, Will Stein's second rule in his offensive philosophy: "feed the studs." Gresham looked like just that today.

Gresham had one of, if not the highlights of the day. He caught a pass from redshirt freshman quarterback Luke Moga on a slant, and took it the distance, going for over fifty yards.

In the two year body of work we have from Will Stein at Oregon, we have seen the shifty, small, slot receiver produce at a very high rate, with Tez Johnson. The now-Buccaneers receiver had 169 receptions in twenty-six games for the Ducks. Rivals had Gresham listed at 6 feet, 176 pounds coming out of high school, matching the build of a true slot receiver.

Not to kill any of the great spring propaganda we received on Saturday, April 26, but the expectations should be tempered a bit with Gresham, at least as far as 2025 is concerned. While Oregon still conducts a four quarter, full-contact spring game, it is just that: a spring game.

Gresham projects to be an excellent receiver in the future, with serious upside to be an important piece of the offense, especially in the aforementioned slot role. He is springy, twitchy and has blazing speed after the catch. Gresham could provide some value as a punt returner, should the staff see him fit in that role.

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