Mario Cristobal has Oregon football trending in the right direction but who will step up as breakout stars this spring for the Ducks?
Oregon is a team on the rise and although the Redbox Bowl wasn’t exactly proof of that, the Ducks have some key pieces coming in and players improving by the week.
The Ducks return starting quarterback Justin Herbert which was a surprise announcement given the fact that he could have been a first-round pick, and maybe No. 1 overall, in the 2019 NFL Draft. Other than him, the offense remains relatively intact and the defense should improve, too.
Jim Leavitt is gone after agreeing to part ways with the program, which was a shock to just about everyone and the Ducks will be looking to carry on his intensity on that side of the ball.
Who could break out for the Ducks this spring?
Part of Mario Cristobal’s first recruiting class as Oregon’s head coach, Adrian Jackson was an early enrollee and one of the top-rated players in 2018. Now that he’s been around for a season with 13 tackles and one tackle for loss under his belt, he could take over for Justin Hollins at one of the outside linebacker spots.
Jackson was the No. 169 player in the 2018 class and stands 6-2 and 210 pounds. He is an aggressive backer with plenty of athleticism, making him a nightmare for ball-carriers.
Playing in eight games as a true freshman, his redshirt was burned, but he got plenty of in-game experience and should be a candidate to become a household name on the ever-improving Oregon defense this season.
Don’t sleep on Jackson as he could help fans forget about Hollins.
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