2025 was a year of mixed expectations. As fans we expect a lot from our team and knew we had some real talent on our hands this past season, but the problem was that we had a lot of young talent. In the end, that youth was beat out by a team of veterans. In 2026, these young guns are ...

These Ducks Will Have Monster Second Seasons as Starters

I don't know if he qualifies since he had a big second half of the 2025 season, but I would count Jamari Johnson in this list. I considered him a starter as his role was expanded along with the rest of the TE room when so many WRs were injured and Stein had to run a lot of 12 personnel.

He will now be the #1 TE and I think he will be a nightmare matchup for most LBs and 'delta' safeties, even if he isn't quite as gifted athletically as Sadiq is.

Brandon Finney? I assume he was left off the list because he was already an All American, but it would be quite the disappointment if he doesn't have a "monster second season" next year.

Edited 3 hours ago3 hr by Solar

2 hours ago, EastBayDuckDad said:

but I would count Jamari Johnson in this list. I considered him a starter as his role was expanded along with the rest of the TE room when so many WRs were injured and Stein had to run a lot of 12 personnel.

Yeah I had him on my list and I would count him. He is going to play a big part of this offense next year.

10 minutes ago, Solar said:

Brandon Finney? I assume he was left off the list because he was already an All American, but it would be quite the disappointment if he doesn't have a "monster second season" next year.

Yeah Finney is going to be huge next year. He'd count for sure.

I also left off Dante and Dakorian.

So much of this roster is young first year starters who are going to have big impacts next year.

Let's not forget Evan Stewart. Having missed the entire season in 2025 because of injury, he will officially be playing his "sophomore" season with OBD. With the plethora of talent we'll have in the receiving and tight end corp, I think ES is going thrive on blown coverages and missed assignments!

Edited 3 hours ago3 hr by Chas Man

Thanks, David. A lot of talent on the 2026 roster.

I'd add the already-impactful DL players A'Mauri Washington and Bear Alexander. When, if ever, has OBD had two potential All-Americans on the interior of the D-line?

1 hour ago, Jon Joseph said:

Thanks, David. A lot of talent on the 2026 roster.

I'd add the already-impactful DL players A'Mauri Washington and Bear Alexander. When, if ever, has OBD had two potential All-Americans on the interior of the D-line?

Perhaps Hyloti Nyata & Devon Long on the 2004 roster come close, but I think/hope the 2026 d-line is going to be more dominant!

1 hour ago, Jon Joseph said:

Thanks, David. A lot of talent on the 2026 roster.

I'd add the already-impactful DL players A'Mauri Washington and Bear Alexander. When, if ever, has OBD had two potential All-Americans on the interior of the D-line?

There was Armstead and Buckner in 2015, when they disappeared against OSU2 in the title game.