Path to the CFP, #14: Oregon's 2022's, Please Stand Up

Oregon’s 2022 recruiting class came together in a frantic final month; 20 months into their tenure, which player is ready to take the reigns?

Bo Nix kneels on the sidelines, eyes scanning the field as the temperature hovers in the triple digits. Standing to his left, his shadow keeping Nix at least somewhat cooler, Josh Conerly takes in the same scene. They are towering pillars of Oregon’s season, who came to this moment near the same time, but through different channels.

Both men were part of head coach Dan Lanning’s first recruiting class at Oregon in 2022. Nix, by way of Auburn after three up-and-down seasons; Conerly, the most decorated offensive line recruit in program history.

Perhaps it’s fitting that Conerly is here to do exactly what he’s doing now: protecting Nix’s left side.

And while there’s no question about the value and impact Nix and Conerly will have on the upcoming season, their classmates could determine the overall trajectory.

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Seventeen prep players arrived in Eugene as part of the 2022 class; only eleven remain. Eleven players also came through the transfer portal, but, unlike their high school teammates, the impact was immediate and astounding. Lanning and his staff hit a home run, injecting instant talent into a wildly out-of-balance roster. Nix headlined the group, but it was the depth of Bucky Irving, Casey Rogers, Noah Whittington, Christian Gonzalez, and more that fueled Oregon’s 10-3 season. And while many of them remain for the 2023 season, it’s their prep peers that must take the next step for the Ducks to keep reaching higher.

Along with Conerly, who carved out a constant role amid a senior-laden line, Jordan James and Jahlil Florence were the only other true freshman who made any impact. James, a late flip from Georgia, became the Ducks’ biggest running back when he touched down in Eugene and received meaningful snaps from the jump. Florence, teammates of fellow signee Jalil Tucker (who has since left the program), battled for snaps at cornerback, seeing action in every game and positioning himself for a chance to start this season.

But outside of that?

A few players’ names have popped up since the season ended in December. Ben Roberts faces an uphill climb along with the defensive line with so many returners but has been a constant in praise from his coaches. Devon Jackson, arguably the fastest player on the team — and one of Bruce Feldman’s Freaks — has every opportunity to grab consistent playing time with an overhauled linebacker room. And Khamari Terrell has been a sneaky name throughout fall camp as the safeties battle it out. None of them may start; all will play meaningful snaps at some point during the season.

Lanning’s 2022 class deserves a pass from a prep perspective; his December hiring left little time for scrambling, and with Conerly and James, specifically, it looks like he landed a couple of significant impacts. And the abovementioned transfer might be one of the most impactful we’ll ever see. But fans don’t give passes and won’t care about short timelines if the bulk of the class busts. The 2022 class must rise to the occasion before passing, as Oregon’s 2023 recruits are already making waves.

Is anyone, mentioned abover or not, capable of taking the reigns and not letting go? Oregon’s success does not completely hinge on that, but it could see a big boost should it happen.