Brock Thomas has gone from a seldom-known backup, best remembered by some as a popular answer to Oregon’s 2024 media day’s question, “Which player would be the best at flag football?” to a necessary player called upon when Dante Moore left the game due to an injury. 

Things change fast in college football and although Thomas is an extreme example, teams’ depth is always being called upon, especially when the season ramps up in November. 

“Just shows up in practice every day, and we got a lot of quarterbacks that are playing [at] a really high level, but he’s been very consistent,” head coach Dan Lanning said of what made Thomas successful. “He understands the offense. He’s been a part of it for a long time. He was a guy who was down there chopping us up on the scout team and earning his stripes, and he’s worked really hard, and nobody’s earned that more than Brock.”

Always remaining ready and waiting your turn is a massive part of college football. Thomas, among others listed below, is an example of players who are “up next” in the Oregon football stratosphere over the coming years.

Na’Eem Offord — Defensive back

A six-foot-one defensive back, Offord has all the talent in the world and has flashed serious upside during rotational outings at defensive Back. Recruiting systems don’t just hand out five-star ratings to anyone, after all. Offord flipped on national signing day to the Ducks and is a prime example of a player needing just a little more time before a true breakout.  

Tobi Haastrup — Linebacker

Being raised outside of London until he was nine years old, Haastrup is currently in the midst of his second year of playing football.  Still, teammates have raved about the linebacker’s physicality and style of play. 

“Tobi, athletically, is exactly what we thought,” defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi said in the preseason. “We take a lot of pride in our evaluations. We felt strong about who we were getting there from an athletic standpoint.”

Haastrup will likely need another year after this to continue developing, but his enormous upside is clear. 

“Freak of nature. Like really swoll,” linebacker Devon Jackson said of Haastrup. “I thought he was a transfer at first, to be honest with you. I’m like, ‘Why are you bigger than me, and you’re like 12 years old?’ Like that’s crazy.”

Blake Purchase — Defensive line

An underrated rotational piece of the Ducks’ D-Line, Purchase has flashed his potential in games thus far in 2025. Through eight games, he has three tackles for loss, an interception and a sack while racking up 18 total tackles. 

Aydin Breland — Defensive line

A highly-touted recruit in 2024, Breland is continuing to develop within Oregon’s already-stacked defensive line group. Although blocked by sure-fire NFL linemen Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti, Breland will likely take on a bigger role in 2026. 

Jeremiah McClellan — Wide Receiver

Another late signing day flip to Oregon, McClellan is currently blocked by some of the more veteran talent on the team. Still, the sophomore pass catcher has the fifth most receiving yards (216) on the team with one touchdown. 

Trey McNutt — Defensive back

A big blow to Oregon’s secondary came before the year, with the Ducks losing McNutt due to a leg injury in fall camp. Despite that, the four-star defensive back was a top-five recruit in the Ducks’ most recent class and will likely contribute either late this season or next.