Jeffrey Bassa and Jestin Jacobs headline Oregon's linebackers in spring football.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 Let's move on to linebacker because this is a group that
00:04 again
00:06 We might be saying it with a lot of positions
00:08 But they are in a really good spot with some of these guys that they have in the mix Justin Jacobs and Jeffrey bossa
00:14 Are the headliners of the group?
00:16 But they have some really intriguing guys that they added to the team in the 2024 recruiting class
00:23 I got to see a lot of them
00:25 In their time as recruits, but Justin Jacobs you think that this is an important season for him?
00:30 Obviously he missed a lot of last year with an injury, but once he was added back to the mix
00:36 He was a really serious player for that Oregon defense and then Jeffrey bossa is back for one more year two huge huge
00:43 Retentions for Oregon's defense heading into 2024. I think that they both really are those athletic
00:49 sideline to sideline physical fast
00:52 Really good communicators. Those are the things that you want in your linebackers and then behind them you lose Jamal Hill
00:59 He's gonna give the NFL his best shot
01:02 But how about guys like Connor so welly and and Devin Jackson Devin Jackson is a guy that I am
01:09 So so excited to see in this defense
01:11 His speed was something that he was really well known for coming to Oregon out of the state of Nebraska
01:17 And played a decent amount. That's a 2022 guy
01:20 So another year under the defense and another year in the system to get more comfortable
01:26 So these linebackers are another special group and we haven't even talked about some of the young guys
01:32 But what do you think about these linebackers is?
01:34 Yeah, I mean you got Jeffrey bossa. He's a general. It's his defense
01:39 Having him come back. It's really gonna make everything else go. Well, I mean talk about communication wise being able to talk about secondary
01:47 Defense alignment calling out all those plays
01:49 Checking into different coverages and blitzes. I mean just having him it's gonna really make Oregon's defense lives a lot easier
01:57 And then some of the younger guys, I mean you got guys got like Braden Platt where I mean
02:04 Just signing someone like him and just overall you look over
02:08 Wherever you want to look at an Oregon's defense
02:10 They've had amazing signings and that just proves that this defense is somewhere where players want to come to play
02:17 And I know that they're gonna develop to be great players to be drafted just like Brandon doorless right now
02:21 He's a high third ground draft grade
02:24 and these young guys
02:27 The of the three that they signed Braden Platt Dylan Williams and Kumar Matuti
02:33 I'm kind of leaning towards Braden Platt being the one that could see the field
02:37 The soonest of the three they're all super athletic
02:41 But Braden Platt's like a different type of athlete also played some running back as did Kumar Matuti
02:46 Dylan Williams at Long Beach Poly. That's just up the road for me down here in Southern, California
02:51 I got to see him play some tight end during his senior season with the Jackrabbits
02:55 So these linebackers are ultra athletic and I think for for how much
03:01 The Oregon defense asks of their linebackers
03:05 Those are guys that you don't really want to be young
03:09 I mean when you're trying I feel like organs kind of in this championship window and maybe this is a
03:14 broader question for another day but as
03:17 They head into the big ten here where they're gonna be going against some really really high powered offenses
03:22 I mean we just saw Michigan hire Ohio State's running back coach Alford this afternoon
03:28 So that was a huge addition for them with these big games that they're gonna be playing in with these big ten road environments
03:34 You've got to have those linebackers that have been there before
03:38 I mean Justin Jacobs has literally been there before because he came over from Iowa
03:42 so just those little things like that
03:44 I think you're gonna prove to be really invaluable and having the experience that they have at the top is
03:50 Only gonna help them and I think that the front seven as of right now is a little bit more of a known commodity
03:56 aside from the interior D line
03:58 Potentially than the secondary. I think you got some question marks there
04:02 But overall you got to be feeling real good about the linebackers and I'd also just throw in a nod to Jerry Mixon as well
04:09 He was the only linebacker that the Ducks signed in 2023 and he was super athletic as well
04:14 So the talents there we just got to see them hit the field and see what they can do