DSC Inside Read: 3-2-1 Look at Linebackers Ahead of Spring

 

This might be the most quietly fascinating room on the roster.

Bryce Boettcher is gone. Kamar Mothudi transferred. There were no portal reinforcements. Which means the answers have to come from inside the building.

Spring will not just determine reps. It will reveal hierarchy. Today on the Inside Read, we take a quick look at the position headed into spring practice before we dig deeper on Wednesday.

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3 Observations

1. The Production Vacuum Is Real

Boettcher’s departure is not symbolic. It is statistical.

He led the team with 94 tackles, posted 8.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, and graded out at 89.8 from Pro Football Focus, fourth among all FBS linebackers. He played 467 defensive snaps and led Oregon in tackles seven times. That kind of consistency does not quietly transfer to someone else.

In 2025 defensive totals, the linebacker room behind him combined for far less proven output. Jerry Mixon finished with 57 total tackles. Devon Jackson added 41. Dylan Williams, Gavin Nix and Brayden Platt combined for minimal defensive production.

This is not a rebuild. But it is undeniably a reset.

2. Jerry Mixon Is the Known Constant

Mixon may not have Boettcher’s national award résumé, but he enters spring as the most stable piece in the room.

He has played meaningful snaps. He has flashed pass-rush ability dating back to his freshman year. His high school profile in California suggested a complete athlete who could rush, cover and play in space. In 2025, he finished with 4.0 tackles for loss and 2 sacks.

If Oregon believes this group is stable, it likely starts with Mixon anchoring the interior.

3. The Former Blue-Chips Now Become the Story

This is where it gets interesting.

Dylan Williams arrived as a consensus four-star and top-200 recruit nationally. Brayden Platt was a High School Butkus Award finalist and one of the top linebackers in his class. Gavin Nix came from IMG Academy with national-level recruiting credentials.

All three were recruited as long-term answers.

Now the timeline accelerates.

Williams has elite prep production and physical tools. Platt has size, track speed and multi-sport explosion. Nix brings IMG polish and structural discipline. But potential does not equal established role.

Spring will determine whether one of them separates or whether Oregon rotates while the pecking order sorts itself out.

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2 Questions

1. What Does Dylan Williams Look Like With Real Snaps?

Williams played sparingly as a freshman. His high school tape showed violent downhill closing speed and disruption in the backfield. The recruiting profile screams impact defender.

But spring reps are different than high school dominance.

Does he command the defense?
Does he process quickly?
Can he hold up physically for extended drives?

If he answers yes to those questions, the ceiling of the room changes immediately.

2. Is This a Two-Linebacker Solution or a Committee?

With Boettcher gone, Oregon must decide whether it has two clear starters or whether this becomes a matchup-based rotation.

Does Platt’s size push him into early-down work?
Does Nix carve out situational snaps?
Does Jackson take a developmental jump after flashing 41 tackles last season?

No portal addition suggests confidence from the staff. But confidence and clarity are not always the same thing.

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1 Spring Theme

Hierarchy.

This room is not devoid of talent. It is devoid of established order.

Mixon is the veteran presence. Jackson has shown pieces. Williams, Platt and Nix were all recruited with the expectation of future impact. Tristan Phillips and Braylon Hodge represent the next developmental wave.

The question is simple:

Does Oregon leave spring believing this is a settled group ready to compete at a Big Ten championship level?

Or does it feel like a room still searching for its long-term identity?

Unlike some position battles, this one will not be loud.

But it may quietly shape the entire defense.