Oregon Ducks Transfer Portal Defensive Stars: Boom or Bust?

Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning landed two of the best defensive players available through the transfer portal, cornerback Jabbar Muhammad and defensive lineman Jamaree Caldwell. Will they Boom or Bust in the Big Ten Conference?

Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi watches over practice with the Ducks Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022, in Eugene, Oregon / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA

Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning once again reached into the transfer portal pool and landed two stars in defensive lineman Jamaree Caldwell and cornerback Jabbar Muhammad. While Oregon was an elite defense in 2023, ranking in the top-10 in scoring defense and top 25 in total defense, there are some holes to fill if the Ducks want to be successful in the transition to the Big Ten Conference.

There is no question that on the defensive side of the ball Oregon will rely heavily on inside linebackerJeffrey Bassa as the leader of this group. However, he can’t do all the heavy lifting and that is where Muhammad and Caldwell enter the picture. The question is whether these two highly regarded athletes can step up and perform at an elevated level (booms) or will they fail to execute as expected (busts).

Let’s start with a look at Muhammad, a 5-foot-10, 183-pound cornerback, who played for the Washington Huskies last season. He started his career at Oklahoma before moving on to the Pac-12 and Washington. Muhammad started in all 15 games played for the Huskies. As a second-team All-Pac-12 player, he was second in passes defended with 20. He was also credited with 46 total tackles, three interceptions, one fumble recovery and two sacks.

Nov 18, 2023; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Washington Huskies cornerback Jabbar Muhammad (1) and Oregon State Beavers wide receiver Anthony Gould (2) during the first quarter at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-USA TODAY Sports / Craig Strobeck-USA TODAY Sports

This move to Oregon is incredibly special for Muhammad as noted in comments he made to the press.

“Being a kid, everybody dreams of coming to Oregon,” said Muhammad. “When I got into the portal, obviously I got in contract with the coaches (at Oregon). They talked about what they could do for me here. What they have building here, it is something that attracted me.”

Muhammad's strengths include the physical skills to dominate opposing wide receivers. He has an eye for the football and can defend against bigger players, which allows his tackling ability to shine. Muhammad also fronts a secondary that Pro Football Focus (PFF) has ranked in the top-five pass defenses in the nation heading into the 2024 season. The point here is that Muhammad is going to play a key role in Oregon’s success in defending against the pass. A boom year can translate into competing for a Big Ten title and a spot in the expanded college football playoffs. A bust year, well, that could mean a whole different outcome.

Oregon’s other notable transfer portal acquisition, Jamaree Caldwell, has similar expectations based on his role as a game-changing defensive lineman. Caldwell, a transfer from Houston, was the No. 25 overall player in the portal and the No. 2 defensive lineman. Over his two seasons with Houston, Caldwell was credited with 38 total tackles, 8.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Once committed to Oregon he was almost immediately labeled as one of the best additions coach Lanning secured.

Sep 30, 2023; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars defensive tackle Jamaree Caldwell (93) attempts to block a pass while defensive end David Ugwoegbu (12) pressures Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Behren Morton (2) at in the first half Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports / Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

In fact, 247Sports' Chris Hummer identified Caldwell as a player who could swing the College Football Playoff race for the Ducks this season. While other transfer portal additions may have made a bigger “splash,” the big bodies in the trenches are what Oregon needs to compete in the Big Ten, something Lanning has known for some time.

"Ultimately, in my opinion, winning football is winning football, and it starts in the trenches," Lanning told ‘The Herd’s’ Colin Cowherd in a recent interview. "You have to be big up front. You have to be able to win on the line of scrimmage. I don't think that formula changes, but what we're doing right now in the office is truly studying some of those opponents that we're going to be seeing.”

Oregon Green Team defensive end Jordan Burch brings down White Team running back Jordan James during the Oregon Ducks’ Spring Game Saturday, April 27. 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA

While Caldwell has received the lion’s share of attention, he will have some help in controlling the line of scrimmage. Returning defensive end Jordan Burch and transfer lineman Derrick Harmon will definitely play a role in how Oregon fares in the Big Ten. Suffice to say that if Caldwell and associates live up to the hype, the Ducks could very well be considered as one of the best defensive fronts in the sport (boom). On the other hand, a less than spectacular effort (bust) could cost Oregon in their initial foray into the Big Ten.