There are plenty of areas of intrigue for the Oregon Ducks going into the 2026 season, but near the top of the list is the defensive line. With several players turning down a spot in the 2026 NFL Draft and choosing to return to Eugene for one more season, there's an expectation that the Ducks have one of the best defensive lines in the nation this year.
If that's going to happen, there are two players who need to stand out in particular, though. On Monday at Oregon's annual media day, both players took center stage; one much bigger than we last saw, and the other trimmed down a great deal.
Both Nasir Wyatt and Matayo Uiagalelei have been in the lab this offseason, but with different goals.
After a standout freshman year where he had 11 tackles, 7 QB pressures, 4 TFL, 3 sacks, and one forced fumble in just 39 snaps, there's been a ton of hype surrounding Wyatt ahead of Year 2. That hype is only increasing after Monday, when he divulged that he put on 20-30 pounds this offseason and is now sitting at a healthy 245 with the same quickness he became known for last year.
So long as he can keep that "power and twitch," Wyatt says that he hopes to model his game after a David Bailey or Reuben Bain, both of whom went in the first round of last year's draft despite being considered undersized edge rushers, like Wyatt.
#wyatt #season
If that's going to happen, there are two players who need to stand out in particular, though. On Monday at Oregon's annual media day, both players took center stage; one much bigger than we last saw, and the other trimmed down a great deal.
Both Nasir Wyatt and Matayo Uiagalelei have been in the lab this offseason, but with different goals.
After a standout freshman year where he had 11 tackles, 7 QB pressures, 4 TFL, 3 sacks, and one forced fumble in just 39 snaps, there's been a ton of hype surrounding Wyatt ahead of Year 2. That hype is only increasing after Monday, when he divulged that he put on 20-30 pounds this offseason and is now sitting at a healthy 245 with the same quickness he became known for last year.
So long as he can keep that "power and twitch," Wyatt says that he hopes to model his game after a David Bailey or Reuben Bain, both of whom went in the first round of last year's draft despite being considered undersized edge rushers, like Wyatt.
#wyatt #season
3 months ago
