Dan Lanning came so close to winning the national championship last year. His campaign was rained down upon by the equally formidable Ohio State. Derailing him in the first bout of the playoffs, Lanning’s campaign ended at 13-1. That 2024 team spotlighted stars like Dillon Gabriel, Derrick Harmon, and Jordan Burch. But a quiet player has slowly grown into a dark horse for Oregon as they head into the 2025 season. Insiders have extremely high hopes for this guy, who has to run a few extra miles to go big in the 2026 draft. He already has 2,330 yards in the bag and can send CBs running helter-skelter in their attempt to stop him.
The mystery man in question is Oregon’s returning WR, Evan Stewart. Coming out of high school in 2022, he already had 2,157 yards in the bag. And at Texas A&M, Stewart raked in accolades after a brilliant freshman season. And who can forget his heroics in Oregon’s crucial win over the Buckeyes during the regular season? In what is regarded as his career-best game, Stewart caught seven passes for 149 yards and also scored one touchdown. Stewart outshone OSU’s Denzel Burke for a 69-yard catch off a deep throw made by Gabriel. He rubbed more salt on Burke’s wounds by going for a red-zone TD just two plays later.
An air of suspense still surrounds Stewart. Calls for him to go as a top draft pick are not new. However, so far, Stewart has lived up to those claims only in flashes. Yet, NFL Rookie Watch still thinks Stewart will turn out to be an unstoppable force for Oregon’s opponents this season. “Evan Stewart looks like he might be the nation’s MOST UNGUARDABLE route runner next season… Several NFL scouts reportedly believe Stewart has the “traits” of a first round pick, and could elevate into the Top-15 with a breakout season,” the account shared. And that’s not all. Experts reportedly think Stewart can go as a top 5 WR in the draft next year.
The star WR also has some elite comparisons with NFLers. “One NFL scout reportedly believes Stewarts game “reminds him” of Stefon Diggs (Patriots WR) and Garrett Wilson (Jets WR),” the account highlighted.
In a CBS Sports mock draft for this year, Stewart was named as a likely addition to the Houston Texans. Back then, Diggs entered free agency before signing with the Patriots. With a similar playing style, Stewart could be his successor in that team. When it comes to the Jets, ahead of the draft, the Oregon WR seemed to be the perfect addition to the depth behind Wilson, Mike Williams, and Malachi Corley. “[His] blazing twitch and burst on his routes send CBs to different area codes at all levels of the field,” wrote Pro Football Focus.
The Ducks’ WR room is loaded this season; they will look to connect with QB1 hopeful Dante Moore. And in that room, Stewart will play a key role along with freshman Dakorien Moore. In his junior season, Stewart totaled 48 receptions for 613 yards and a career-high 5 TDs. Because 2025 is going to be his last CFB appearance, Stewart is locked in on finally letting that dark-horse-esque power unleash itself. “Stewart reportedly has goals of “competing” for the Biletnikoff Award (Nation’s Best WR) as Oregon’s WR1 this season,” wrote NFL Rookie Watch. Now that Evan has more room to work, 2025 looks good to be his year.
Evan Stewart expected to make waves in his final season
Evan Stewart decided to forgo the draft and lead the WR room that saw the departures of Tez Johnson and Traeshon Holden. He would’ve faced some solid competition in the draft, like Travis Hunter, Tetairoa McMillan, and Emeka Egbuka. But now the playing field has widened immensely for Stewart. ESPN names him among the top 10 receivers in the country at the moment. “Few returning wideouts bring more talent to the table than Stewart,” read his entry.
“The former five-star recruit went through ups and downs in two seasons at Texas A&M but really impressed Oregon’s coaching staff last season and is coming back for his senior year to prove he can become an elite playmaker,” ESPN noted. Stewart announced his return in early January with a reel of his grand highlights, writing, “Wake up and get it, gotta finish the mission.” Winning the Biletnikoff will be a little difficult, especially with Jeremiah Smith in the mix.
Last year, the award was given to its uncontested winner, Travis Hunter. He punched in 1,258 yards and 96 catches in his last season. So, that’s how high Stewart has to make the jump to clinch the award. Now that he is slated to become the Ducks’ WR1, Stewart will have more opportunities to increase his yardage and receptions. Can Evan Stewart shine in his last season and finish the mission he decided to come back to Oregon for?
The post Dan Lanning’s 2,330-yard Oregon Weapon Draws Surprising Stefon Diggs & Garrett Wilson Comparison After Drastic Career Move appeared first on EssentiallySports.