What's new with the Oregon Ducks' WR room ahead of 2026 spring season?

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Coming off of yet another elite season, the Oregon Ducks now go into a new 2026 campaign with higher expectations than they’ve had in quite some time. There’s a belief that it is “championship or bust” in Eugene, thanks to the return of guys like Dante Moore, Evan Stewart, Matayo Uiagalelei, A’Mauri Washington, and Teitum Tuioti. Oregon’s roster is among the best and most experienced in the nation, and there’s a feeling that the ’26 season could be special.

While it may be a stretch to say that anything short of a championship will be considered a failure, there are reasons for the Ducks‘ fanbase to hold such high hopes. Oregon has been building to the 2026 season for a couple of years now, and with the combination of elite young talent like Jordon Davison, Dakorien Moore, and Brandon Finney, among others, along with the aforementioned veterans, it comes as no surprise that the Ducks are considered among the championship favorites going into spring ball.

One of the more intriguing positon groups that should be clearer after spring ball is the wide receiver room. There’s talent galore, with as many as five players who could contribute next season excluding a trio of talented incoming freshman. But barring injuries, five wide receivers all contributing isn’t necessarily realistic, thus putting importance on the next month to figure out who emerges in the starting group.

As we get ready for spring practices to kick off in a couple of weeks, here’s a refresher on who is returning, who left, and who is joining the Ducks’ WR room going into the new year.

Returning Players

Evan Stewart

Career Stats: 139 catches, 1,776 yards, 11 TDs

The assumed No. 1 receiver for Moore in 2025 before going down with a season-ending injury, Stewart enters next season with similar expectations. The former five-star was the Ducks‘ third-leading receiver with Dillon Gabriel as the passer and seemed to be finding his footing at Oregon more as the season progressed after transferring in from Texas A&M. With one year of eligibility remaining, Stewart will be trying to prove that he’s worthy of being a first-round receiver in the 2027 draft.

Dakorien Moore

Career Stats: 34 catches, 497 yards, 3 TDs / / 4 rushes, 49 yards, 1 TD

Thrust into the No. 1 role at wide receiver after Stewart’s injury, Moore thrived early in the season highlighted by a seven-catch, 89-yard performance against Penn State. He dealt with injuries that sidelined him for the final four games of the regular season and much of the College Football Playoff, but Moore should come into next season in a 1A and 1B situation with Stewart given the experienced that he gained in 2025.

Jeremiah McClellan

Career Stats: 41 catches, 581 yards, 3 TDs

McClellan was another receiver who should come into next season much better because of the action that he saw in 2025. The former four-star began the season in a rotational role but saw increased time late in the season due to injuries and showed out. He had a number of acrobatic catches, whether it be rising up and snagging the pass or toe-tapping as he fell out of bounds. McClellan will be one of the best receivers in college football to serve in a complimentary role next season.

Dillon Gresham

Career Stats: None

A four-star in the class of 2024, Dillon Gresham battled injuries in 2025 and failed to see much action. He still has yet to catch a pass as a Duck and faces an uphill battle for playing time considering the returners and incoming talent.

Player Departures

Malik Benson

Career Stats: 81 catches, 1,192 yards, 8 TDs

Alongside McClellan, Benson came on late in the season — right when the Ducks needed him. He was Moore’s top target as a deep threat and made two very notable game-changing plays in the final two weeks of the season: a punt return touchdown against USC and a breakaway 64-yard score in the fourth quarter against Washington to make the lead two scores. Without Benson, it’s hard to see Oregon making it as far as they did.

Gary Bryant Jr.

Career Stats: 111 catches, 1,405 yards, 15 TDs

Bryant’s long career came to a quiet end, as he suffered an ankle injury early against Iowa that ended his regular season and ultimately limited him to just one reception in the CFP. Despite that, his veteran presence in four seasons at Oregon was key in helping bring along young receivers.

Kyler Kasper

Career Stats: 6 catches, 77 yards

The No. 29 wide receiver and a four-star in the 2022 class, Kasper’s four-year tenure at Oregon was littered with injuries, as he never quite gained his footing on the field. Kasper committed to BYU and will have two seasons of eligibility with the Cougars.

Cooper Perry

Career Stats: 10 catches, 25 yards

Cooper Perry, a four-star in the 2025 class, caught passes in six games as a true freshman and was utilized as a de-factor gadget player. He caught several screen passes and was involved in a failed trick play but ultimately transferred to Cal in hopes of seeing more playing time and being coached by former Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi.

Incoming Players

Iverson Hooks (Transfer)

Career Stats: 97 catches, 1,225 yards, 10 TDs

A jitterbug out of the slot, Iverson Hooks is comparable to Tez Johnson and could be used in a similar role in 2026. He broke out last season despite struggles at the quarterback position, earning second-team all-conference honors. The explosive Hooks will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Gatlin Bair (Recruit)

Recruiting Ranking: No. 6 WR (2024 class)

Often forgotten about, Bair is returning from a Mormon mission after committing to Oregon out of the 2024 class. He was a four-star and highly ranked thanks to his combination of size (6-foot-1, 194 pounds) and speed (10.15 100-meter dash). Having taken two seasons off from football, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Bair slowly work his way back onto the field. He represents one of the more interesting stories in college football next season, as he could raise the ceiling of the Ducks exponentially if he proves to be a reliable pass catcher right away.

Jalen Lott (Recruit)

Recruiting Ranking: No. 4 WR

Standing 6-foot and 175 pounds, Jalen Lott is an absolute speedster. There’s a chance that he serves as a gadget type of player, but there’s no doubt that he’ll eventually have to add weight to his frame before becoming a full-time contributor. With how stacked the receiver room is, expect Lott to see limited time in 2026.

Messiah Hampton (Recruit)

Recruiting Ranking: No. 35 WR

A standout receiver who competed in high school against lackluster competition in New York, Messiah Hampton is a bit of a question mark. He’s a technical route runner but doesn’t have standout speed or strength, leading to the projection that he’ll likely redshirt next season.

Hudson Lewis (Recruit)

Recruiting Ranking: No. 186 WR

Speaking of speedsters, Hudson is exactly that coming out of Idaho. He was the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior and flipped his commitment from Utah to Oregon. Similar to Hampton, he projects as a redshirt player in 2026.

Most Intriguing Storyline to Watch This Spring

The physical status of Evan Stewart

Duck fans were constantly teased late in the season of Stewart’s potential return, just for him to remain sidelined for the entirety of the team’s College Football Playoff run. The assumption was that he was still working through the torn patellar injury that occurred in early June, though he did appear in warmups for the Ducks’ first round CFP matchup but didn’t play.

Three months removed from the season and over nine months removed from the injury by the time spring ball begins, how Stewart looks and feels will be very intriguing to watch. He was Oregon’s third-leading receiver in 2024 and entered last season with expectations of having a big year as the WR1 before going down.

Expectations are a bit more tempered this season, partly because of the emergence of others but also because of the injury. If Stewart looks to be back to normal during spring practices, expectations very well could rise once again for the former five-star wide receiver.

Biggest Questions Facing the Position in 2026?

How many players factor into the rotation and what roles will they serve?

The Ducks have a very good problem to have entering next season at the receiver position: an overload of talent. The five-star true freshman Moore excelled before getting injured in November, giving way for redshirt-freshman McClellan to step in and show off his acrobatic catch repertoire. That all occurred while the expected top receiver, Stewart, missed the entire season with a torn patellar tendon.

Hooks was added via the portal, while Bair was a former five-star before his mission. Undoubtedly, it’s a deep position group with as many as five viable options without factoring in the highly-rated incoming freshman.

Offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer will have his hands full as far as figuring out how every player fits, but if he gets it right, the results could be historic considering this groups’ talent and Dante Moore’s ability at the quarterback position.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: What’s new with the Oregon Ducks’ WR room ahead of 2026 spring season?

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