There are a number of players on the Oregon Ducks roster who will start drawing buzz and getting hyped up over the coming weeks and months, through spring football and into the summer as we hurdle towards the 2025 college football season.
With a roster as young and unproven as the Ducks currently have, often the only thing fans have to go off of is expectation and past tape, be it from high school or a different college. In some cases, a recruiting ranking draws the most attention, with Oregon faithful looking at a blue-chip rating and feeling the anticipation grow.
As we head further into the 2025 spring season, redshirt freshman cornerback Ify Obidegwu is starting to generate rave reviews early on.
“He’s a really competitive player, man,” co-defensive coordinator Chris Hampton said of Obidegwu on Thursday. “Competitive, tough, loves the game, doesn’t say a whole bunch, just kind of laid back demeanor, and does his job consistently.”
At 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, Obidegwu is a bigger cornerback, fitting the mold of a player that Dan Lanning and his staff are working to transition to in the secondary; a player with more length to contend with the likes of Jeremiah Smith and other large receivers they will see down the road. Coming out of high school, Obidegwu was a 4-star player, rated by 247Sports as the No. 57 player in the 2024 class, and the No. 5 CB in the nation. He was the third-highest-ranked player in Oregon’s 2024 class.
“He’s got long arms, tremendous wingspan,” Hampton said. “Gets his hands on guys. He’s physical. He has the right mentality and mindset too. I mean, he’s made of the right stuff. And I think he has a really bright future here at Oregon.”
The cornerback room will be interesting to watch this offseason as a depth chart is formulated. The Ducks lost guys like Jabbar Muhammad, Nikko Reed, and Dontae Manning and only have one returning former starter: Jahlil Florence, who was injured for all of last season.
There is some expectation that Florence will be able to earn his starting job again, assuming he is back to full health, but otherwise, there is wide-open competition for the two starting spots.
Florence, Northwestern transfer Theran Johnson, Ole Miss transfer Jadon Canady, Rodrick Pleasant, Dakoda Fields, Daylen Austin, Sione Laulea, Dorian Brew, Na’eem Offord, and Brandon Finney are all competing for one of those open spots, along with Obidegwu.
May the best man win. If we’re to listen to Hampton, Obidegwu will undoubtedly be in the mix.
