The Oregon Ducks are nearing the end of their 2025 spring football practices, with just a few weeks left before their annual spring game signals the close of the season. This spring has been marked by considerable change as the team transitions into a new era led by a younger group of players stepping into larger roles.
One of the most transformed units heading into the 2025 season is the defensive line. The 2024 starting trio—Derrick Harmon, Jordan Burch, and Jamaree Caldwell—have moved on, having either graduated or declared for the NFL Draft, where they’re expected to be selected later this month. Since head coach Dan Lanning’s arrival three years ago, defensive line recruiting has been a top priority. The 2025 season will be the first real opportunity to see the results of that effort take shape, as the line will be composed almost entirely of players Lanning and his staff personally recruited out of high school.
Following a recent Thursday practice, defensive line coach Tony Tuioti shared some insight into how the younger players on the roster have progressed throughout spring practices. He began by praising Tionne Gray, an imposing interior lineman who’s drawn attention for both his size and potential impact on the field.
“Tionne Gray is a big, powerful man,” Tuioti stated. “At 6-foot-6 and 345 pounds, he’s the type of player who forces offenses to commit multiple blockers. That’s critical in the run game, especially in this conference. You need guys who can stand their ground against double teams and handle combination blocks, and Tionne has shown he can do that.”
Gray arrived at Oregon as a three-star recruit in the 2024 class and redshirted last season. Despite limited playing time, his sheer size and strength have made him one of the more intriguing players to watch this offseason. His development this spring reflects Oregon’s commitment to building a formidable front from the inside out.
Another standout from the same class is Aydin Breland, a highly rated top-40 recruit. Tuioti pointed to Breland as someone who’s made major strides during spring workouts and has impressed both in practice and in his positional versatility.
“Aydin Breland has been doing a really good job,” said Tuioti. “He’s been playing as a defensive end and also sliding inside to tackle, similar to how we used Brandon Dorlus in the past. He’s got great length and weighs around 295 pounds. On early downs, he can anchor the edge against the run, and on third down, we can move him inside to exploit matchups against less agile offensive guards.”
Tuioti added that toward the end of the 2024 season, Breland had emerged as perhaps their most effective interior pass rusher. Even though Breland appeared in five games last season, he preserved his redshirt status, making him eligible as a freshman in 2025. His ability to contribute at multiple spots along the line makes him a key piece in Oregon’s defensive puzzle moving forward.
The development doesn’t stop there. Tuioti also mentioned sophomore defensive linemen Jericho Johnson and Ashton Porter as rising talents who could play vital roles this fall. Although they’re still early in their college careers, both players are showing the kind of progress that suggests they’ll be ready to contribute in meaningful ways when the season begins.
Since Lanning and Tuioti took over the program in 2022, the Ducks have consistently fielded strong defensive lines. However, the 2025 season represents a significant milestone, as it will be the first time the entire D-line depth chart consists of players recruited straight out of high school by the current coaching staff. That homegrown quality makes this group unique, and while they lack the game-day experience of their predecessors, their talent and upside are undeniable.
One more name to watch is A’Mauri Washington, another young lineman recruited by Lanning who’s poised to step into a larger role. Like his fellow D-linemen, Washington embodies the type of athleticism, strength, and discipline that the staff has been targeting in its recent recruiting classes. He’ll be another player to keep an eye on once fall camp arrives and depth charts begin to take shape.
As the Ducks move closer to the start of the 2025 season, one notable point is that none of the current defensive linemen have starting experience. This is a first in the Lanning era, and it naturally raises some concerns about in-game readiness and how these players will respond when the stakes are higher. However, what the group lacks in experience, they more than make up for in raw ability, size, and upside. If development continues at its current pace, there’s optimism that this young unit can rise to the occasion.
The upcoming opening of the spring transfer portal adds another layer of intrigue. It remains to be seen whether the Ducks will pursue additional help at the defensive line position or elsewhere. The staff might look to add veteran depth or simply let the current roster grow into their roles organically. Either way, the future of the Oregon defensive line looks promising, built around a foundation of physicality, versatility, and young talent.
This retooling of the defensive front is happening alongside similar transformations at other positions across the roster, including quarterback and offensive line, where the Ducks are also introducing fresh faces. Offensive coordinator Will Stein has spoken about adapting his system to fit a new starting quarterback, while leaders like Iapani Laloulu are stepping up to guide an inexperienced O-line.
As Oregon navigates these transitions, the coaching staff remains focused on developing players who can step into starting roles and perform at a high level. The 2025 season will be an important proving ground for these younger Ducks, especially in the trenches, where games are often won or lost. While there are still many questions left to answer, especially with the spring game on the horizon, one thing is clear: the foundation being laid this spring could set the tone for a new, exciting chapter in Oregon football.
