Depth Chart Deep Dive: Oregon X-receivers
With spring ball in the rearview, and the transfer portal closed, we’re beginning to get an idea of what Oregon’s depth chart might look like in 2023.
Since the end of the 2022 regular season, Dan Lanning’s program added 14 players via the portal while 30 former Ducks opted to seek opportunities elsewhere.
As we near the start of fall camp, the ScoopDuck staff is taking an in-depth, position-by-position look at the Oregon roster.
Next up, the X-receiver position.
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Spring synopsis
As a true sophomore in 2022, Troy Franklin delivered one of the more productive seasons by an Oregon receiver in recent memory.
The 6-foot-3 wideout and former 4-star signee caught a team-high 61 passes for 891 yards and nine touchdowns. From a sheer production standpoint, it was the best season from an Oregon pass-catcher since Dillon Mitchell in 2018.
How did Franklin respond after the standout campaign? By going right back to work.
“Once the season was over and he got back from break, he was like ‘Coach, what do I need to get better at?’” Oregon coach receivers coach Junior Adams said in April. “Then we dove into his film and his tape and we talked about some areas where he can improve at. What Troy has done between January and now — he’s working on those things.”
Meanwhile, Oregon redshirt freshman continued to progress this spring after enrolling early for the Ducks last fall.
“Technically, he’s supposed to be a part of the class that’s here right now — the group enrolling this year,” Adams said of Kasper. “Obviously, he got a head start. It’s good and it’s paying off. … He’s been playing with a little more urgency. He’s been playing big; He’s getting better. He’s also getting better in the meeting room. I think that’s where it all starts.”
Projected Starter
Franklin will once again be Bo Nix’s No. 1 target in 2023 and could be poised to establish himself as one of the top receivers in all of college football.
He’s already generating NFL Draft buzz; Franklin was a projected first-round pick in multiple mock drafts earlier this month, and Pro Football Focus listed the sophomore as the No. 7 draft-eligible receiver.
The only question at this point is: just how good can Franklin be in 2023?
Other than injury, what can change?
The true X-factor for Oregon’s receiving corps in 2023 will be blue-chip freshman Jurrion Dickey.
A 5-star signee who is listed as the No. 28 overall prospect and No. 2 reciever in the nation according to the On3 Industry Ranking, Dickey is one of the highest-rated signees in program history.
Dickey was not with the Ducks during spring ball. But at 6-foot-3, 211 pounds, he’s a prototypical X-receiver who has drawn comparison to former Ole Miss star A.J. Brown.
While there is no realistic scenario where Franklin doesn’t play the majority of the Ducks’ offensive snaps in 2023, Dickey may prove too talented to keep on the sideline during his true freshman campaign. If the freshman excels during fall camp, Adams and offensive coordinator Will Stein could look to frequently get Franklin and Dickey on the field at the same time.
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