Ranking Oregon Football’s Top 10 Players: Big Ten Difference Makers

Oregon Football has arguably the deepest roster in program history going into its first year in the Big Ten Conference. Who are the biggest difference-makers?

Oct 21, 2023; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning on the sidelines against the Washington State Cougars during the second quarter at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-USA TODAY Sports / Craig Strobeck-USA TODAY Sports

EUGENE - While it’s extremely difficult to compare football players across positions, Oregon Football has enough talent to make this exercise doable. With the strongest roster in program history inbound for 2024, let’s rank the top 10 difference-making players on this Ducks roster.

1. Josh Conerly Jr., OT

Some will be surprised to see an offensive lineman ranked this high on the list, but left tackle Josh Conerly Jr. is one of the best players at his position in the entire country. Conerly was recognized as an All-American Honorable Mention as a sophomore in 2023 and figures to be even better in his junior season.

Oct 21, 2023; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning on the sidelines against the Washington State Cougars during the second quarter at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-USA TODAY Sports / Craig Strobeck-USA TODAY Sports

2. Jabbar Muhammad, CB

While we’ve yet to see Muhammad take a snap for the Ducks, his track record at now-Big Ten Conference rival Washington speaks for itself. Muhammad did an outstanding job in coverage against now-Denver Bronco Troy Franklin and earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors in his senior season. Muhammad joins an Oregon secondary that needed a talent influx after last season.

3. Tez Johnson, WR

An analytics supporter's best friend, Tez Johnson has landed in the top-10 wide receivers according to Pro Football Focus in each of the last two seasons. With another year in Oregon’s offense and a chance to emerge as the team’s true number one receiver, keep your eyes peeled for some eye-popping numbers from Johnson this year.

4. Ajani Cornelius, OT

A relatively unheralded transfer from Rhode Island a year ago, Cornelius quickly stood out as one of the best right tackles in the country. He’s regarded as a potential first-round pick in the National Football League Draft due to his size, athleticism, and versatility. Having him and Conerly bookending the offensive line is a highly favorable setup for Oregon’s offense this year.

5. Dillon Gabriel, QB

A top-three Heisman Trophy candidate being this low on the list is a testament to the roster Oregon coach Dan Lanning has assembled. Gabriel is slightly more difficult to rank than some others on this list due to his transfer status but he’s in a similar spot as Muhammad in terms of being proven already. Gabriel plays with his hair on fire and Oregon fans will likely love what he does for the team this season.

6. Jordan James, RB

Oregon fans should be excited to see Jordan James get more run in 2024. Playing primarily behind Bucky Irving last year, James was one of the most efficient running backs in the nation, gaining an average of 7.1 yards per carry on 107 totes in 2023. With Irving out of the picture, expect James to get more work and push for 1,000 rushing yards this season.

7. Jordan Burch, DL

Now a leader of this Oregon defensive line, Burch displayed tremendous pass-rushing and run-stuffing ability in his first season with the Ducks in 2023. He racked up 7.5 tackles for loss and a solid three sacks last season and figures to take on an even bigger role with another year in coach Lanning’s defense and last year’s leader Brandon Dorlus out of the picture.

8. Jeffrey Bassa, LB

As the ‘quarterback’ of the defense in 2023, Jeffrey Bassa was responsible for a lot of the Ducks’ pre-snap communication and play calling. Not just a vocal leader though, Bassa accumulated 72 tackles including 3.5 for loss. Bassa appears to have put on more weight for this year and should remain a strong physical presence for Oregon’s defense.

9. Evan Stewart, WR

More projection than proven, Stewart has flashed all the potential in the world through two injury-riddled college seasons. Transitioning to Oregon after starting his collegiate career at Texas A&M, Stewart figures to be better utilized and developed going forward. The sky's the limit for what he can accomplish in 2024.

10. Kam Alexander, CB

A name some will be surprised to see make the Ducks top-10, Alexander is one of the highest-rated transfers from Oregon’s 2024 class and joins a room that, as mentioned, needed attention after getting torched in big games last year. He now joins an Oregon team that turned Christian Gonzalez into a star in 2022.