Matayo Uiagalelei announces he will return to Oregon for senior year

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After the kind of career he had at Oregon, it would not have been a shocker if defensive end Matayo Uiagalelei announced he was moving on and declaring for the NFL draft.

But that’s not the case.

Uiagalelei announced he will actually return to Eugene and play for the Ducks for his senior season in 2026, making next year’s roster even stronger.

When he was recruited by Oregon, Uiagalelei was the one of the highest-rated recruits to sign with the Ducks, and he has lived up to the billing. After a strong freshman season, Uiagalelei came into his own as a sophomore as he made the All-Big Ten first team, according to the media and the All-Big Ten second team. He was also named as a Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award finalist in 2024.

The 6-foot-5, 270-pounder played in all 14 games for the Ducks, making 11 starts in that sophomore season. He led the Ducks with a career-high 10.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. He also led the Big Ten during the regular season with 10.5 sacks.

In 2025, Uiagalelei garnered many double teams, lowering his overall stats, but he’s still on of the best defensive players in football as he showed in the Orange Bowl. His play, in which he stripped Texas Tech quarterback Behran Morton and nearly scored a touchdown, definitely opened some eyes, especially those from NFL scouts.

Uiagalelei was projected to go in the middle of the first round or even higher, but he chose to stay in Eugene where he will be thought of as one of the best defenders out there.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon DE Matayo Uiagalelei says he’s coming back for senior season

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