ScoopDuck Eval: Gary Bryant Jr.

The Ducks have added a big commitment Saturday evening. This time once again through the transfer portal.

Former USC wide receiver Gary Bryant Jr. will play his next season with the Ducks. His skillset will give the Ducks another threat in the pass game for Bo Nix.

But for more on this pick up for the Ducks, let’s take a look at what QB11 thinks of Bryant.

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Gary Bryant Jr
5’10 175, WR
USC transfer

Junior Adams continues to show a tireless desire to improve Oregons explosiveness at WR. This time adding a late transfer from one of the more hotly pursued WR’s of this portal cycle. Fending off Texas A&M among others the Ducks have added an extremely productive weapon that can be deployed inside or out.

In 2021 Bryant had 44 catches for 579 yards and 7 TD’s before sitting out 2022 and announcing his intentions to enter the portal. Based on his diminutive size many would expect that he’s purely a slot WR, however the tape told a different story. While Bryant’s elite top end speed is very useful in the slot where you can easily scheme him free releases where he can build up blow by speed against safeties and nickel defenders. Many times in 2021 specifically against UCLA while compiling a career high 9 catches for 161 yards, Bryant was deployed away from the trips as a true outside WR where he showed a diverse set of releases that give him mismatch versatility against more lumbering stiff corners. Ultimately I think his snap count at Oregon will shade more slot than true outside WR he can provide matchup and speed opportunities on the outside against certain sets.

Physically Bryant has really good athletic body control and explosive traits. His burst off the line is good and he has easy long speed to enhance Oregons options stretching the field vertically. While he isn’t the biggest target on contested at catches, Bryant shows good physicality and contact courage in down and distance situations. Even when pressing vertical Bryant’s instincts for body position and timing are + allowing him to create additional margin for error for his QB. As a route runner there is some tightening up to do, for someone as quick as Bryant is there were times on his film where I felt him taking reps off. At times rounding the tops of routes and not showing great intentionality with his route plan. Where Bryant was really fun was post catch where his spacial awareness and lateral twitch make him a real weapon to turn chunk plays into Touchdowns. Bryant has kickoff and punt return utility in addition to his receiver abilities adding yet another explosive athlete to a room that desperately was in need of upgrade (returners).

Bryant had very consistent hands in my film study from 2021 typically not allowing the ball into his body and displaying good fluidity transitioning to a runner post catch. While this pickup isn’t a guy who will push Troy Franklin to be Oregons top WR it replaces a valuable hole left by the departure of Donte Thornton with another burner who can really stress defenses vertically. With Oregons personnel acquisitions seeming to point to more and more 10 pers (4 WR sets) pairing Tez and Bryant on the interior gives you two very dynamic options throughout the route tree on the inside.

Overall I really like this pick up, you can never have too many guys that can flat go and improving the WR room more puts less stress on a thin and inexperienced TE room. Bryant strikes me as a player that will cause defenses to play Franklin more honestly on the outside just due to the threat of speed.

Go Ducks!!

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