The Oregon Ducks are in the tough position of having to replace one of the best players to ever come through Eugene this offseason. Troy Franklin, arguably the No. 1 wide receiver in program history, is heading to the NFL draft later this spring after putting up historic numbers in 2023.
Of course, the Ducks aren’t lacking for talent in the WR room, with guys like Tez Johnson, Traeshon Holden, Gary Bryant Jr., and Evan Stewart all looking to take over as the No. 1 option in 2024. However, it may be a player who is not currently a projected starter, and who only has one catch on his resume that could make the biggest impact going forward.
Redshirt freshman Jurrion Dickey is ready to become a household name.
A year ago, he signed with the Ducks as a 5-star prospect, ranked as the second-best receiver in the nation, and the 18th-best player in the 2023 class. He stands behind only Cameron Colvin as the highest-rated receiver to ever sign with Oregon.
While an injury sidelined him for much of his freshman season, Dickey looks primed for a breakout in 2024.
“He looks like the player we all anticipated he would look like,” Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein said on Saturday after the Ducks’ second spring practice. “He’s in shape and healthy. I love that kid. He has worked his tail off to get in good shape to go out and produce for us. The sky is the limit for Jurrion, as we all know.”
Talent was never the problem for Dickey. While the knee injury was partly responsible for his limited action a year ago, the understanding of a complicated offensive system also played a part. Oftentimes, fans see a generational talent like Dickey and expect him to be able to contribute right away, but they overlook the necessary intake process for a young player trying to learn a new scheme.
From Year 1 to Year 2, that’s one of the things that has changed the most for Dickey.
“He knows what to do and where to line up,” Dickey said. “When you know what to…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Football | Ducks Wire…