Checking in with the Oregon Ducks CB room ahead of the 2025 season

We are less than 50 days away from the start of the 2025 college football season, and fewer than two weeks stand between us and the beginning of the Oregon Ducks' fall camp getting off the ground in Eugene. While coaches and players wrap up their final couple of offseason weeks, we're ready to jump back into things and take a deep dive into what's set to take place at Autzen Stadium this year.

The Ducks are coming off of an incredible season that saw a 12-0 regular season, a Big Ten Championship, and the No. 1 seed in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. The offseason brought significant roster turnover as Oregon sent a program record 10 players into the 2025 NFL draft; however, those players have been replaced by a young yet incredibly talented group of players ready to uphold the standard in Eugene.

Will they be able to complete the job? Expectations are high, but it won't be an easy task.

Over the next few weeks, many questions will be asked, and a significant number of them will be answered. Once we get a look at things during fall camp, we will be able to predict more accurately how things shape up. However, we already have our depth chart projections for offense and defense from spring. As we continue our preview of the 2025 season, leading up to the kick-off vs. Montana State on August 30, let's take a deep dive, position by position.

Previous Position Previews

• Quarterbacks Preview
• Running Back Preview
• Wide Receivers Preview
• Tight End Preview
• Offensive Line Preview
• Defensive Line Preview
• Edge Rusher Preview
• Linebacker Preview

Now let's take a closer look at the cornerbacks as we prepare for fall camp.

Overall Oregon Ducks Cornerback Check-In

There are a lot of positions in Eugene that are seeing an overhaul this offseason, but that rings true no more than at the cornerback spot, where the Ducks are replacing every starter from last season. While there is a lot of youth and unproven production, this may be one of the most talented groups on the roster for Oregon, with numerous blue-chip prospects ready to make a name for themselves.

So, how will they stand apart this season? That's something we need to see play out over the next couple of months, but expectations are high for this group to be among the best in the Big Ten.

Departing Oregon Ducks Cornerbacks

Jabbar Muhammad

Career Stats: 60 games, 159 tackles, 8 TFLs, 4 INTs, 40 PBUs, 1 FF, 1 FR

Analysis: Oregon is losing its top cornerback, Jabbar Muhammad, this offseason. Muhammad played for the Ducks for one season after playing at Washington and Oklahoma State. Muhammad played a solid year for the Ducks, although his size was sometimes problematic.

Dontae Manning

Career Stats: 54 games, 80 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 INTs, 14 PBUs

Analysis: Dontae Manning is the next member of the Ducks' secondary on his way out the door. Five years ago, Manning came to Oregon as one of the Ducks' highest-rated recruits ever, and while he never rose to be one of the top CBs in college football, he crafted a solid career.

Nikko Reed

Career Stats: 49 games, 115 tackles, 9 TFLs, 2 sacks, 5 INTs, 22 PBUs, 

Analysis: Nikko Reed is another significant loss in the Ducks' secondary, as he is out of eligibility after the 2024 season. Like Muhammad, Reed was also a transfer, beginning his career with the Colorado Buffaloes.

Kam Alexander

Career Stats: 45 games, 82 tackles, 1 sack, 6 INTs, 28 PBUs

Analysis: The only departing Ducks corner never to see much of the field is Kam Alexander. After the 2023 season, Alexander transferred to Oregon from UTSA, but as a Duck, he only ever played 71 snaps.

Returning Oregon Ducks Cornerbacks

Jahlil Florence

Career Stats: 19 games, 35 tackles, 3 TFLs, 1 sack, 2 INTs, 1 PBU, 1 FF

Analysis: In 2023, Jahlil Florence was the CB2 opposite Khyree Jackson, and for most of the season, he was fantastic. Florence was kept off the field by injury this season, but did take warmups for the Rose Bowl. This season, expect Florence to be back to full strength and ready to assist the Oregon defense again.

Sione Laulea

Career Stats: 4 games, 3 tackles, 1 INT

Analysis: Another exciting Ducks returner is Sione Laulea. A year ago, Laulea was the number one junior college player available. While he didn't play much this past season, Laulea made some great plays, such as his INT against Illinois. At 6 feet 4 inches, Laulea is a tall, slim defender, and this year, Laulea may have a greater chance to crack the starting lineup.

Ify Obidegwu

Career Stats: None

Analysis: Ify Obidegwu was one of the top-ranked players in Oregon's class of 2024, but he didn't enroll early, which makes it very hard to see the field much as a freshman. Now that Obidegwu has played a year in the Oregon system, he'll be fully acclimated and ready to compete with the rest of the Ducks' CB room this spring.

Dakoda Fields

Career Stats: None

Analysis: Unlike Obidegwu, Dakoda Fields has been on Oregon's campus for over a year now, giving him all the experience he needs to elevate himself within the program. Of the Ducks CBs in the class of 2024, Fields was ranked just behind Obidegwu, but neither has a shortage of talent. I can see one or both playing big-time snaps for the Ducks this season.

Incoming Oregon Ducks Cornerbacks

Theran Johnson (Northwestern)

Career Stats: 37 games, 103 tackles, 6 TFLs, 3 INTs, 1 Pick Six, 18 PBUs

Analysis: Oregon's sole cornerback transfer is Northwestern's Theran Johnson, who played four years for the Wildcats. In 2024, Johnson played the best season of his career by far, finishing with 53 tackles, 4 TFLs, 2 INTs, a pick-six, and 10 PBUs. The small size of the Ducks' secondary became a problem in the Rose Bowl, and at 6 feet tall, Johnson will bring more size to the room.

Jadon Canady (Ole Miss)

Career Stats: 115 tackles, 2 INT, 17 PBUs

Jadon Canady was a late addition to Oregon's roster, but he comes in as another veteran player in the secondary wiht some great experience moving all over the field, whether it's outside on an island or inside in the nickel.

Na'eem Offord (Recruit)

247Sports Recruiting Profile: 5-star, No. 3 CB, No. 13 Overall Recruit

Analysis: Oregon's biggest fireworks — or cigar-worthy moment — on early national signing day in 2024 was 5-star CB Na'eem Offord's flip from Ohio State to Oregon. Dan Lanning has brought 5-star players to Oregon since the start, but Offord is one of his most talented recruits ever. Cornerbacks rarely start — or even play — as freshmen, but Offord might be that good.

Brandon Finney (Recruit)

247Sports Recruiting Profile: 4-star, No. 6 CB, No. 40 Overall Recruit

Analysis: Originally rated as a 5-star, Brandon Finney fell a few spots in the latest 247Sports rankings update. He is an incredibly talented player, though, and will be a great addition to Oregon's CB room in the years to come.

Dorian Brew (Recruit)

247Sports Recruiting Profile: 4-star, No. 9 CB, No. 64 Overall Recruit

Analysis: Oregon's final freshman CB commit is Dorian Brew, another player Oregon beat Ohio State to get. Brew is the only player of the three to have already enrolled at Oregon, which is a major asset for his development. On day one, Brew can start to learn and install the Ducks' defensive scheme so that he isn't learning on the fly next fall.

Predicting Oregon Ducks Starting Cornerbacks

Field Cornerback: Jahlil Florence

Boundary Cornerback: Theran Johnson

Overall Oregon Ducks Cornerback Outlook

There are some questions about where the production is going to come from for Oregon's secondary this season, but going forward, that likely won't be the case. The Ducks have recruited at such an incredibly high level at this position that the foreseeable future should feature limitless talent in the secondary. That could all start this year, but we've got to see who steps up and takes the reins in 2025.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon Ducks cornerback preview ahead of 2025 season