Ducks crack the top 5 of 2025 transfer portal class re-rank

Earlier this year, the Oregon Ducks used the transfer portal primarily to add depth and fill the occasional starting spot. It was a solid, talented group but not one that is viewed as monumental towards the team's success this fall, as the Ducks returned as many as nine draft-eligible players and saw just seven players get drafted into the NFL, the lowest mark in three years.

But after the 2025 draft, which saw a record ten Oregon standouts selected, the roster needed a serious infusion of veteran talent. So, Dan Lanning and his coaching staff got to work, receiving 11 commitments and eventually landing the No. 5 transfer portal class, per 247 Sports.

In The Athletic's re-rank of the 2025 transfer portal classes, the Ducks' group lived up to expectations, still finishing at No. 5.

"It’s hard to argue that a program got more bang for its buck than the Ducks," Manny Navarro wrote. "Nine of the 11 transfers became starters, including four All-Big Ten selections in safety Dillon Thieneman (Purdue), defensive lineman Bear Alexander (USC), left tackle Isaiah World and left guard Emmanuel Pregnon (USC). Five transfers were drafted, headlined by Thieneman in the first round. The only miss in the class was former Tulane running back Makhi Hughes, who is now at Houston. Alexander and tight end Jamari Johnson are back in 2026."

Looking back at the class, it's eye-opening how many slam-dunk additions there were.

Hughes was a miss, while senior cornerback Theran Johnson didn't provide much of an impact. But the bookends of the offensive line were sealed, with World and Alex Harkey operating those spots. Pregnon was a first-team All-American. Wide receiver Malik Benson emerged late in the season and led the Ducks in receiving yards. Backup tight end Jamari Johnson finished in the top ten in the nation in receiving yards at his position — and that's just on the offensive side of the ball.