Before the opening game of this season, the Oregon Ducks’ receiver room was in disarray with star receiver Evan Stewart out with a torn patellar tendon and Jurrion Dickey leaving the program for disciplinary issues. Since then, players like true freshman Dakorien Moore and redshirt senior Gary Bryant Jr. have stepped up in a major way.

There are not many true freshmen performing at the same level as Dakorien Moore, if any. He currently has 21 receptions for 331 yards and two touchdowns as well as four rushes for 49 yards and a touchdown. Moore is No. 7 in the country in all-purpose yards among freshmen receivers.

Expectations were high for Moore coming out of high school as a five star recruit and No. 1 receiver in the 2025 class for both 247Sports and ESPN. In a post-practice press conference in early October, he commented on how he approaches these high expectations.

“I would say I put more pressure on myself than anything. I don’t really try to think about what everybody’s expectations for me is, especially outside of this building,” Moore said. “I hold high standards of myself and I just try to make sure I do good on on a practice field every day ’cause whatever you do on the practice field that’s what you’re gonna put in the game so I hold myself to that.”

Gary Bryant Jr has had a solid bounceback season after missing most of last season with an injury. So far, Bryant Jr. has 24 receptions for 277 yards and four touchdowns and has been the Ducks go-to kick and punt returner. His production has slowed down in October, with only eight catches for 80 yards over the last three games.

Junior Kenyon Sadiq has been solid this season as a part of the Oregon offense, reeling in 22 receptions for 311 yards and five touchdowns. He is currently tied for first in the nation in touchdowns among tight ends and No. 16 in receiving yards.

In a press conference last week, Sadiq was asked what it means to be great and how he defines success. 

“Being great and they can go so many different directions,” Sadiq said. “Personally, I just want to have the best effect on my team and help us get to where we need to be whether that’s blocking, catching about whatever it is. Of course I want to be great and go chase all those stats, whatever, but at the end of the day, it’s just kind of just like being great for my team.”

An unlikely receiver on the team is redshirt sophomore and offensive lineman Gernorris Wilson, who has scored two receiving touchdowns during his two seasons with the Ducks. Wilson is not built like most pass catchers, standing at 6-foot-5and weighing 318 pounds.

His most recent touchdown came in the Ducks’ 21-7 win over Wisconsin, which was also backup quarterback Brock Thomas’s first career touchdown. Wilson was asked which touchdown he enjoyed the most during a post-game press conference after the win. “I’ll say this right here just because it was raining and it was over the shoulder,” Wilson said. 

The Ducks head into a bye week this week and prepare to face Iowa in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes are the No. 8 ranked defense in the country and are coming off a 41-3 blowout against Minnesota, where they picked off three passes and held the Golden Gophers to 109 passing yards. 

Iowa is ranked No.7 in the nation in passing defense efficiency, one rank higher than the Indiana Hoosiers, who handed Oregon its only loss of the season. The Ducks will want to avoid making the same mistakes they made against Indiana against a formidable Hawkeyes passing defense.