EUGENE – While fans of numerous high-powered passing attacks like those of Ohio State, LSU, and USC like to claim that their school is the best at churning out National Football League wide receivers, the Oregon Ducks are working hard to put themselves in the conversation for “Wide Receiver University” with a few big commits in the 2025 recruiting class.

Three of the top 10 wide receivers in the class who are committed are currently committed to Oregon, giving them the strongest recruiting presence at that position in the country as things stand today. Four-star commits Cooper Perry and Isaiah Mozee form the basis of this year’s receiver class while five-star Dallas Wilson provides the flash and top-end upside.

After losing last year’s leading receiver Troy Franklin the the NFL Draft and the Denver Broncos, the Ducks appear eager to reload at one of the most important positions on offense. Despite having the position settled for this year with Texas A&M transfer Evan Stewart and Bo Nix’s brother Tez Johnson, both seem primed to hit the NFL Draft after this season.

The Ducks have recruited wide receiver well in Dan Lanning’s time as head coach, bringing in five-star Jurrion Dickey in the 2023 cycle along with Jeremiah McClellan and Dillon Gresham in 2024 but we know coach Lanning is never satisfied with what’s already been done.

As Oregon moves into the Big Ten Conference, it will be more important than ever to have top-end talent at wide receiver to compete with the likes of USC, Ohio State, and Washington to name a few. While the Ducks are more well-rounded as a roster than USC and Washington, having an edge on Ohio State at wide receiver would go a long way towards getting over the hump and winning a conference title.

Former Oregon Ducks receiver Troy Franklin was routinely projected as a first- or second-rounder in many mock drafts leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft this past April. So when he fell to the Denver Broncos in the fourth round at pick No. 102, it’s safe to say that many were surprised.

Franklin was certainly one of them, but it might have worked out for the best. He’s headed to the Broncos with former Oregon quarterback Bo Nix, as the pair will now look to spearhead a new era in Denver.

But don’t get it twisted: Franklin isn’t forgetting about the teams that passed up on him.

“I think I just like to self-talk to myself, to remind myself, to see how all the other 31 teams viewed me or whatever the case is,” Franklin said. “So I kind of just let that sit in my head—a chip on my shoulder type deal.”

Franklin was the No. 1 receiver for Nix, a Heisman finalist, in an elite Ducks passing offense. After posting a combined 1,100 receiving yards during his first two collegiate seasons, Franklin exploded during his third year in 2023, finishing with 81 catches for a team-high 1,383 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. He had eight 100-yard receiving games across 13 contests.

The Broncos will kickoff their regular season on Sunday, Sept. 8 in Seattle against the Seahawks. Oregon fans looking to catch Nix and Franklin won’t have to travel far to watch the rookies make their Week 1 debut.

This story will be updated at 8 p.m. with the first election results

State senator Elizabeth Steiner faces former Lake Oswego City Councilor Jeff Gudman for the Democrat nomination for Oregon Treasurer in Tuesday’s primary election.

The winner will advance to the November general election against Republican Brian Boquist, a state senator from Dallas who is barred from running for re-election in the legislature because he had 10 or more unexcused floor absences during 10 senators’ walkouts during the 2023 session.

Tobias Read, who has been treasurer since 2017, is barred from running again due to term limits. He is running for Secretary of State.

Gudman previously ran against Read in the 2020 and 2016 elections as a Republican. He was a city councilor in Lake Oswego from 2011 to 2018 and chaired the city’s budget committee.

He said he was committed to diversifying voices and experiences at the treasurer’s office by formalizing a transparent advisor process.

Gudman also said his platform included defending pension commitments, taking “meaningful steps” on climate change through corporate governance, and establishing a bipartisan plan around the redirection of kicker revenues. 

Steiner has been a lawmaker since 2011 and co-chair of the legislature’s Ways and Means committee since 2018.

She said she would continue Read’s net zero plan, follow through on the COAL Act introduced during the 2024 legislative session, and expand and grow existing programs including the implementation of a baby bond program.

Steiner also said she would bring together savings programs offered by the State Treasurer’s office into one platform such as a website or app to increase their use and accessibility.

Dianne Lugo covers the Oregon Legislature and equity issues. Reach her at dlugo@statesmanjournal.com or on Twitter @DianneLugo