Wednesday War Room: 2026 LB Preview ahead of Spring

 

 

Jerry Mixon: The Responsibility of the Middle

When Bryce Boettcher exhausted his eligibility and moved on to the NFL, Oregon did not enter the transfer portal searching for a replacement.

That decision placed the future of the inside linebacker room squarely on Jerry Mixon.

Boettcher’s 2025 season was not simply productive. It was stabilizing. He led the Ducks in tackles, graded among the top linebackers nationally, and operated as the connective tissue in Dan Lanning’s Mint structure. His communication ensured the front was aligned, his processing cleaned up misdirection, and his consistency prevented small mistakes from compounding.

Mixon now steps into that space.

Within Lanning’s defense, the MIKE linebacker often aligns in a 40 technique, stacked directly behind the defensive end. From that alignment, the job is clear but demanding. Read quickly. Trigger downhill. Fit decisively. When the defensive line occupies space correctly, the MIKE becomes the eraser.

Mixon has flashed the physical temperament to handle that role. The next step is command. Oregon does not need him to replicate Boettcher’s stat line. It needs him to replicate the steadiness. If Mixon becomes the voice of the front seven, the room settles.

If he remains only a productive defender, the search for leadership continues.

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Devon Jackson: Range That Changes the Math

Opposite Mixon, Devon Jackson enters 2026 as the most likely breakout candidate.

Jackson’s athletic profile fits the modern Big Ten. He covers ground easily, closes windows in pursuit, and shows the type of lateral range that matters against spread formations. In the Mint structure, inside linebackers must be able to scrape over the top and match backs releasing into space. Jackson’s speed gives Oregon margin.

The refinement lies in block deconstruction and early key recognition. The WILL linebacker cannot drift. He must arrive square and under control. When Jackson trusts what he sees and triggers without hesitation, his athleticism becomes a weapon rather than a safety net.

If that leap occurs, Oregon upgrades the ceiling of the defense without importing experience.

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Dylan Williams: Talent Waiting on Timing

Dylan Williams represents one of the more intriguing variables in the room.

A former four-star recruit with high-end production in high school, Williams entered the program with expectations of disruptive play. His prep résumé featured significant tackles for loss and backfield production, traits that translate well when the Mint front forces offenses into narrow run lanes.

The question is not physical readiness. It is comfort within structure.

Lanning’s defense asks linebackers to play fast within clear rules. When aligned correctly and reading with discipline, the system accelerates them downhill. When hesitation creeps in, space opens quickly behind the line.

Williams has the traits to become more than depth. The timeline depends on how quickly those traits merge with assignment precision.

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Brayden Platt: Power With a Reset

Brayden Platt’s early career has been shaped by interruption.

Injury limited continuity, but the talent profile remains evident. Platt arrived in Eugene as one of the most decorated linebacker recruits in the region, a High School Butkus finalist with verified track speed and elite strength numbers. His physicality fits the identity Oregon wants at the point of attack.

In a defense that occasionally shifts responsibilities by field and boundary, asking linebackers to fold into run support or add edge pressure in certain looks, a player with Platt’s size and movement ability offers schematic flexibility.

The challenge entering 2026 is rhythm. If he regains confidence and fluidity, he becomes more than a rotational body. He becomes a force multiplier.

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Tristan Phillips: The Late Surge

Few prospects in the 2026 class rose faster during their senior season than Tristan Phillips.

His ranking climb coincided with tangible on-field growth. Phillips’ senior production showed improved processing speed and disruptive timing, finishing with 127 tackles and double-digit sacks. That trajectory matters more than the number itself. Late development often signals an upward arc that can continue at the next level.

Oregon’s approach with Phillips will likely be measured. Early special teams work. Late-game defensive snaps. Controlled evaluation.

If his high school acceleration translates, he could carve out rotational minutes earlier than typical for a first-year inside linebacker.

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Braylon Hodge and Gavin Nix: Depth With Purpose

Freshman Braylon Hodge brings a prototypical interior frame and high-volume tackling production from Colorado. His path likely begins on special teams, but his physicality fits the demands of Big Ten football.

Gavin Nix arrives from IMG Academy with strong fundamentals and experience against elite competition. Coaches value alignment and assignment discipline in this scheme, particularly from depth pieces who must preserve structural integrity when rotating in.

Neither enters 2026 expected to carry the room. Both provide developmental stability behind the primary rotation.

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The Structure of the Room

Inside linebacker in Lanning’s Mint defense does not operate in isolation.

The Star or Money position often functions as a hybrid linebacker and safety, providing coverage flexibility and speed near the line of scrimmage. When that role performs at a high level, inside linebackers can remain decisive downhill players. When coverage stress increases, their responsibilities expand.

That interconnected structure places a premium on communication and anticipation.

Oregon’s 2026 linebacker room is not built around a returning All-American. It is built around internal belief. Mixon and Jackson anchor the present. Williams and Platt compete to accelerate. Phillips represents the developmental surge. Hodge and Nix deepen the foundation.

The Ducks chose continuity over urgency.

Now the room must justify that choice.

In an era when roster gaps are often solved with immediate transfers, Oregon instead placed its trust in progression. The inside linebacker position will determine whether that patience becomes a competitive advantage or a growing process played out in real time.

Projected 2026 Inside Linebacker Depth Chart

MIKE (stacked in 40 behind the defensive end)

1. Jerry Mixon

2. Dylan Williams

3. Tristan Phillips

4. Will Straton

WILL (run and flow pursuit role)

1. Devon Jackson

2. Brayden Platt

3. Gavin Nix

4. Braylon Hodge