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Derrick Harmon, Detroit Loyola product, sees NFL Draft stock soar after season at Oregon

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Derrick Harmon, Detroit Loyola product, sees NFL Draft stock soar after season at Oregon


Derrick Harmon made a huge move when he transferred to Oregon from Michigan State heading into the 2024 college football season.

Not only did Harmon get the opportunity to help Oregon win the Big Ten championship and earn the No. 1 seed for the College Football Playoff, he set up his future for an NFL career.

Harmon, a former standout at Detroit Loyola, was an afterthought for the 2025 NFL Draft after his redshirt sophomore season at Michigan State in 2023 when he got in on 40 tackles from his defensive tackle position, 3½ for lost yardage.

Well, Harmon turned into a star at Oregon, a reason he has declared for the NFL Draft, in which his name is now mentioned in the first round of multiple NFL mock drafts, including No. 17 (Cincinnati Bengals) by Yahoo! Sports and No. 16 (Arizona Cardinals) by CBS Sports. The Pro Football Network projects the 49ers to pick Harmon at No. 11 and has Kentucky defensive tackle Deone Walker (Detroit Cass Tech) headed to the Lions at No. 32.

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Walker was a second-team All-American in USA Today’s preseason rankings.

Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN has Harmon No. 14 on his board, the No. 4 defensive linemen, saying: “He combines quickness with power to cause chaos for opponents.”

Yes, Harmon’s thick build and long arms and athleticism give him the ability to line up anywhere from 3-technique to nose tackle, making him versatile and valuable for the next level.

Harmon made the most of his one year at Oregon, getting in on 41 tackles, 10½ TFL and five sacks while forcing two fumbles and recovering two fumbles.

“I’ve seen it, not putting too much attention to it because a lot can change,” Harmon said of the mock drafts. “I know I still have a lot of work to do.”

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So, how impressive was Harmon?

Well, Harmon led the nation in total pressures from an interior defensive lineman with 55, 12 higher than the next-highest player.

One reason for Harmon’s breakout season was his ability to drop 30 pounds and play at 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds after playing his final season at Michigan State at 340.

“Going to Oregon was really good for me,” said Harmon, who said he was filing his papers to declare for the draft Monday and was set to travel to Dallas to prepare for the NFL Scouting Combine. “I had a good season, and we capitalized on a good season. I loved my team. I feel I improved by being more of a leader and I loved my pass-rushing ability too.

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“I left (Michigan) State just because I wanted a better opportunity. I feel I’ve always had good technique in the run game just from the coaches I’ve had previously so for me, so it was more tuning up the pass rush. Coach T (defensive line coach Tony Tuioti) and Coach Tosh (defensive coordinator Lupoi) are good coaches, Coach Tuioti taught me a lot about the run game, played a lot of different positions on the line from the 0 all the way to the 5, so all those techniques he was able to teach me to take to the league.

“At State I played at 6-5 and 340 and this year I played at 6-5 at 315, 320. I could tell the difference, more agile and just as strong.”

Harmon said beating Ohio State 32-31 in Eugene during the regular season was his highlight. He had three tackles, and a forced fumble which he recovered at the Buckeyes’ 28 to set up a touchdown.

Harmon still thinks of his days at Loyola, saying “Coach Cal (John Callahan) is a great coach, still coaching to this day (at Hazel Park). He just told me a lot about ball, and he told me I had potential to play at the college level and at the NFL level just like he told me he did with Malik McDowell before me, so that was cool.”

McDowell started his high school career at Loyola before moving on to Southfield, then playing at Michigan State before being picked in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Seahawks.

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High praise for Dante Moore

Former Detroit King standout quarterback Dante Moore started several games at UCLA as a true freshman in 2023 before transferring to Oregon.

Moore stood on the sidelines and watched Dillon Gabriel operate as the Ducks’ quarterback, becoming a Heisman Trophy finalist, completing 72.9% of his passes for 3,857 yards and 30 touchdowns (to just six interceptions). Oregon was 13-0 before a quarterfinal loss to Ohio State in the CFP.

When asked how Moore will perform next season with Gabriel using up his six years of eligibility, Harmon replied: “He’s going to be the truth. You can learn a lot sitting behind a Heisman finalist. Dante Moore is going to be a Heisman finalist next year. He’s that good.”

Moore was ranked No. 5 on CBS Sports listing of 16 players who will define the race for the 2025 national championship, saying Moore is “now the obvious choice to lead the explosive Will Stein’s offense,” and will be aided by receiver Evan Stewart, who announced Tuesday that he will return for ’25 season.

Former Belleville standout Bryce Underwood — the No. 1 recruit in the nation who signed with Michigan — was also among the 16 players listed by CBS Sports for those who will define the race for the national championship.

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david.goricki@detroitnews.com



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LIVE Score Updates Oregon Ducks Battling Arizona Wildcats: Sweet 16 At Stake

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LIVE Score Updates Oregon Ducks Battling Arizona Wildcats: Sweet 16 At Stake


The No. 5 seed Oregon Ducks men’s basketball team are facing off against the No. 4 Arizona Wildcats in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday night. The winner of Oregon vs. Arizona will face the Duke Blue Devils in the Sweet 16 in Newark, New Jersey.

The Ducks and Wildcats are scheduled to tip off at approximately 6:50 p.m. PT from Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. This article will be updated live throughout the game.

 Oregon Ducks head coach Dana Altman reacts with guard Jackson Shelstad (3)

Mar 21, 2025; Seattle, WA, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dana Altman reacts with guard Jackson Shelstad (3) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Climate Pledge Arena. / Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

Oregon 38, Arizona 42: Jackson Shelstad has the ball stolen in the final seconds of the half. Arizona’s Jaden Bradley makes a half-court shot at the buzzer, but he did not get it off before the buzzer. The Ducks enter halftime down four points.

Oregon 38, Arizona 42: Oregon forward Mookie Cook blocks the shot from Caleb Love. Arizona forces a jump ball, but the possession arrow is in the Ducks favor.

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Oregon 38, Arizona 42: TIMEOUT Arizona with 33.5 seconds to go in the first half.

Oregon 38, Arizona 42: TJ Bamba drives in the lane and draws a foul on Arizona’s Jaden Bradley. Bamba misses the first free throw but makes the second.

Oregon 37, Arizona 42: Brandon Angel commits his second foul, and Arizona’s Henri Veesaar makes one of two free throws.

Oregon 37, Arizona 41: The Wildcats are called for a goaltending on a layup by Oregon guard Jadrian Tracey.

Oregon 35, Arizona 41: Wildcats guard KJ Lewis makes both free throws after a foul on Nate Bittle. With two fouls, Altman subs Bittle out of the game with 1:37 to go in the half.

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Oregon 35, Arizona 39: Arizona’s Jaden Bradley makes a 15-footer, and then lays it in on the fast break after blocking a shot by TJ Bamba.

Oregon 35, Arizona 35: The Ducks tie it up with a put back from Bittle

Oregon 33, Arizona 35: Oregon center Nate Bittle draws the offensive foul on Awaka, his second of the game. TV timeout with 3:43 remaining in the first half.

Oregon 33, Arizona 35: The Wildcats reclaim the lead with a three-pointer from Arizona guard Anthony Dell’orso.

Oregon 33, Arizona 32: TJ Bamba responds and makes the bucket from the paint.

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Oregon 31, Arizona 32: After TJ Bamba misses a three-pointer, the Wildcats take their first lead of the game on layup by Jaden Bradley.

Oregon 31, Arizona 30: Arizona gets three offensive rebounds on one possession and eventually makes the put back.

Oregon 31, Arizona 28: Foul on Kwame Evans Jr., and Arizona’s KJ lewis makes one of two free throws.

Oregon 31, Arizona 27: After a missed jumper from Jackson Shelstad, Tobe Awaka dunks it on the other end.

Oregon 31, Arizona 25: Arizona’s Jaden Bradley responds and makes a mid-range shot.

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Oregon 31, Arizona 23: Oregon guard TJ Bamba drills the three-pointer late in the shot clock and ends a 9-0 run for Arizona.

Oregon 28, Arizona 23: Arizona commits a foul with 7:46 remaining in the half. TV timeout.

Oregon 28, Arizona 23: Jackson Shelstad responds for the Ducks with a long two-point shot.

Oregon 26, Arizona 23: Arizona’s defense forces another turnover, but Arizona misses the three-point shot.

Oregon 26, Arizona 23: Oregon commits two consecutive turnovers out of the break, and Arizona is able to capitalize with a three-pointer from Caleb Love.

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Oregon 26, Arizona 20: Caleb Love scores another basket, leading Oregon coach Dana Altman to call his first timeout of the game with 9:36 remaining in the first half.

Oregon 26, Arizona 18: Tobe Awaka grabs the offensive rebound and makes the put back. Arizona is on an 8-2 run.

Oregon 26, Arizona 16: The Wildcats force a jump ball in the paint. Arizona gains possession as a result.

Oregon 26, Arizona 16: Arizona’s Tobe Awaka fights through contact and banks in the shot to cut Oregon’s lead to 10 points.

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Oregon 26, Arizona 14: TV timeout with 11:35 remaining in the half. Arizona guard Caleb Love makes another mid-range jumper, and Oregon’s Keeshawn Barthelemy responds with a layup.

Oregon 24, Arizona 12: Shelstad makes another three-point shot followed by a layup from Arizona’s KJ Lewis.

Oregon 21, Arizona 10: Wildcats forward Tobe Awaka misses both free throws after a foul on Bittle.

Oregon 21, Arizona 10: Arizona’s Carter Bryant makes a three-pointer followed by a turnover on Bittle.

Oregon 21, Arizona 7: After Arizona guard Jaden Bradley makes a three-pointer, Shelstad hits the floater on the other end to keep Oregon’s lead at 14 points.

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Oregon 19, Arizona 4: Evans Jr. backs down his defender for the lay-in.

Oregon 17, Arizona 4: Out of the timeout, Kwame Evans Jr. misses the free throw, but Jackson Shelstad steals a possession on the offensive boards.

Oregon 17, Arizona 4: After another turnover on Arizona, the Ducks score again in transition. Oregon forward Kwame Evans Jr. grabs the offensive rebound and was fouled as he made the put back. Evans Jr. will shoot one free throw after the TV timeout. 15:11 remaining in the first half.

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Oregon 15, Arizona 4: Shelstad gets the steal and lays it in on the fast break.

Oregon 13, Arizona 4: After a few scoreless possessions from both teams, Oregon center Nate Bittle drains a three-pointer.

Oregon 10, Arizona 4: Oregon guard TJ Bamba drives through the lane and finishes strong with a dunk.

Oregon 8, Arizona 4: Foul on Brandon Angel. Arizona forward Trey Townsend makes both free throws.

Oregon 8, Arizona 2: Another three-pointer from the Ducks, made by Oregon guard Jackson Shelstad.

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Oregon 5, Arizona 2: After a travel on Arizona, Angel drains a three-pointer on the other end, followed by a midrange jump shot from Wildcats guard Caleb Love.

Oregon 2, Arizona 0: The Ducks start the game with a dunk from Oregon forward Brandon Angel.

In the first round, Oregon Ducks coach Dana Altman led his team to another March victory over the Liberty Flames. The Ducks won by a convincing 29 points, led by guard Jackson Shelstad’s 17 points. Oregon center Nate Bittle finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

After the win, Altman praised the energy that his team brought to the game.

“I thought the fellas came out with a lot of energy. The early threes kind of got us going, but I thought our defensive activity was really, really good. We moved the ball. We made some plays for each other there. Jackson (Shelstad) and (guard Keeshawn Barthelemy), Nate (Bittle) hit some threes,” Altman said.

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MORE: 5-Star Quarterback Jared Curtis Committing After Oregon Ducks, Georgia Bulldogs Visits?

MORE: New England Patriots Visit Oregon Ducks Running Back Jordan James Ahead Of NFL Draft

MORE: 5-Star Tight End Recruit Mark Bowman Leaning Oregon Ducks, Georgia Bulldogs?

With a large lead, Altman was able to give some of his starters some rest while allowing other Ducks a chance to see the floor in the NCAA Tournament. Will Oregon’s first-round blowout help them at all against Arizona?

“When we had the game in hand there, I didn’t want to play anybody too many minutes. We got a game on Sunday, and the transition that Arizona exhibited today, you know, we’re going to have a lot of running,” said Altman. “I mean, they were pushing the tempo. We’ve played them a number of times over the last 14 years, so we know the pressure they’re going to put on in transition. And so we’re a little fortunate there that we didn’t have to play guys 35 minutes.”

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The Wildcats’ matchup with Akron in the first round resembled Oregon’s win over Liberty. Arizona won by 28 points, and 15 Wildcats earned playing time. Guard Jaden Bradley led all scorers with 19 points in the first-round matchup. Arizona also saw valuable contributions from forward Trey Townsend and guard Caleb Love. Off of the bench, Wildcats forward Carter Bryant finished with 12 points and five rebounds.

Arizona Wildcats forward Carter Bryant (9) dribbles the ball against Akron Zips guard Shammah Scott (1)

Mar 21, 2025; Seattle, WA, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Carter Bryant (9) dribbles the ball against Akron Zips guard Shammah Scott (1) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Climate Pledge Arena. / Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

Oregon and Arizona’s meeting in the NCAA Tournament resembles the numerous battles between the Ducks and the Wildcats when both teams were part of the Pac-12. Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd spoke about the history between the two programs before Sunday night’s matchup.

“It is a little weird playing them in the second round of the tournament because it’s a team that you’re used to being a conference rival, and usually you wouldn’t see that until later in the NCAA Tournament,” said Lloyd.





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Editorial: In a hole on housing, Oregon just keeps digging

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Editorial: In a hole on housing, Oregon just keeps digging


Oregon’s first-in-the-nation statewide rent control legislation didn’t chase away new housing construction after the Legislature adopted the controversial policy in 2019. But one of the biggest worries for rent-control skeptics has always been if lawmakers would leave well enough alone.

The worry is merited. The law started off with a cap on annual rent increases of 7% plus inflation for buildings 15 years or older. But amid spiking inflation, legislators in 2023 added a proviso that such an increase could not exceed 10%.

The backsliding appears to continue this session.

House Bill 3054 would allow rent increases no greater than inflation for those living in manufactured home parks while Senate Bill 722 – largely aimed at banning algorithm-based pricing software by rental companies – includes a provision to remove the rent cap exemption for buildings older than seven years old. Although both stem from good intentions, these short-term Band-Aids carry negative long-term consequences – most notably, a message that the developers and investors needed to reverse the state’s housing deficit should just steer clear of Oregon.

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To be fair, legislators are understandably trying to respond to the urgent needs of constituents, many of whom are already struggling to make rent. HB 3054 addresses a particularly vulnerable group – people who own their manufactured homes, but pay rent to the owner of the manufactured home community where they live.

They don’t have the option of easily picking up and moving when faced with the large rent hikes that corporate owners regularly pass along, said Rep. Pam Marsh, D-Southern Jackson County, one of the bill’s chief sponsors. And manufactured homes provide a vital source of affordable housing in a state that needs every bit it can get.

But clamping down on allowable rent also squeezes the mom-and-pop operations that have long tried to keep increases down but are facing soaring insurance, utility charges, maintenance costs and property tax expenses. The likely result? Many have testified that they may end up selling to those same corporate operators or to developers eager for the underlying land – but not the manufactured homes.

SB 722 is less targeted and could ultimately have a broader, negative impact on Oregon’s housing market if it goes through unamended. Currently, Oregon exempts new apartment buildings less than 15 years old from the statewide rent cap, giving investors more confidence about taking on the financial risk of new construction. The bill calls for slashing that exemption period to only seven years – a cut that could dramatically change the value of a building and, with it, the financial calculus for investors and developers.

However, rather than tailor solutions to the problems – perhaps by increasing funding for targeted rent assistance – both bills double down on a law that has received little analysis of its impact on Oregonians. The rent stabilization law, Senate Bill 608, was the first statewide rent control legislation in the country. While outside economists have looked at overall trends, the state has commissioned no review of its effects, the governor’s spokeswoman acknowledged. Such a new approach to addressing our years-old housing crisis should merit far more curiosity and scrutiny than it has.

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Anecdotally, however, Oregonians have shared stories of rent hikes that now routinely match the cap, Marsh said. It’s as if the cap has simply become the default – a relatively unsurprising reaction in a market where the state controls the price someone can set, regardless of any change in underlying costs.

Both Marsh and Sen. Chris Gorsek, D-Gresham and a chief sponsor of SB 722, told the editorial board they are considering amendments to their bills to address concerns. Marsh is looking at exempting smaller manufactured home communities in an effort to direct the restrictions to larger corporate owners. Gorsek’s bill has two amendments under consideration – one that shortens the exemption period to buildings 10 years and older and a second that drops any change to the exemption. Legislators would be wise to adopt the latter option immediately.

But even if that occurs, legislators must acknowledge that they are broadcasting that Oregon is an unreliable place to do business as its lawmakers don’t grasp or don’t care about the financial considerations that go into making long-term multimillion-dollar investments. Instead, hasty legislation and the lack of any state analysis of how rent stabilization has affected rents reinforces a sense that Oregon governs by feel.

No rent cap, no matter how low, will add the hundreds of thousands of new housing units needed over the next decade. State and local government, despite devoting hundreds of millions of dollars in the past few years to affordable housing construction, can barely make a dent in the hundreds of thousands of units that Oregon must add in the next decade.

Instead, legislators’ reflex is to continually clamp down on what rent stabilization allows. So far, based on comparisons to Washington state, Oregon’s existing 10% cap appears not to have chased away development, economist Mike Wilkerson said. But shifts on that front could easily change the equation.

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“This slippery slope is what will actually make investors leery,” he said, adding that they will do “what every rational person is going to do – assume that’s going to continue.”

Oregon’s elected leaders should recognize that tighter rent stabilization provisions won’t lead Oregon out of our housing deficit. It will only dig the hole deeper.

-The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board

Oregonian editorials

Editorials reflect the collective opinion of The Oregonian/OregonLive editorial board, which operates independently of the newsroom. Members of the editorial board are Therese Bottomly, Laura Gunderson, Helen Jung and John Maher.

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Members of the board meet regularly to determine our institutional stance on issues of the day. We publish editorials when we believe our unique perspective can lend clarity and influence an upcoming decision of great public interest. Editorials are opinion pieces and therefore different from news articles.

If you have questions about the opinion section, email Helen Jung, opinion editor, or call 503-294-7621.



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Oregon State baseball’s winning streak ends as Cal Poly rallies in 9th

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Oregon State baseball’s winning streak ends as Cal Poly rallies in 9th


Oregon State seemed well positioned to continue its winning ways on the baseball diamond Saturday as the Beavers played the final innings against the Cal Poly Mustangs.

The sixth-ranked Beavers held a narrow lead, then tacked on one run in the eighth and another in the ninth to pad their advantage to three runs.

But Cal Poly rallied for four runs in the bottom of the ninth and won 7-6, walking off to victory on Jack Collins’ two-run, two-out homer at Baggett Stadium in San Luis Obispo, California.

The loss snapped Oregon State’s 11-game winning streak and knotted up the three-game series against the Mustangs (14-7).

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There were plenty of positives for the Beavers (17-4) before things unraveled late.

Aiva Arquette blasted a first-inning solo home run for the second consecutive game. Although right-hander Dax Whitney might not have had his best stuff, the OSU offense provided support and the Beavers led 4-3 by the time Whitney exited after four innings. AJ Hutcheson then tossed three scoreless innings, and the Beavers added those two late runs on solo homers from Jacob Krieg, who finished 3 for 4 with three RBIs, and Easton Talt.

But OSU reliever Zach Edwards, who had entered in the eighth, ran into trouble in the ninth. Cal Poly pinch hitter Cam Hoiland led off with a double, and then Zach Daudet sent the first pitch he saw to right-center for an RBI single.

After Dante Vachini got aboard with a single to put runners on first and third, the Beavers pulled Edwards and turned to Wyatt Queen. The Mustangs trimmed the lead to 6-5 on Ryan Fenn’s sacrifice fly, but then Queen got Alejandro Garza to foul out and the Beavers were one out away from an escape.

That brought Collins to the plate, however, and he crushed Queen’s first offering to left to end the game. Queen (1-1) took the loss.

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Next up: Oregon State closes out its series against Cal Poly at 12:35 p.m. Sunday (ESPN+).

— Joel Odom



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