Oregon/Auburn: Deep dive into Oregon DL

I have gotten a lot of questions about the DL at Oregon. So, here we go.

Here is my primer on the defense.

The Oregon DL in the 3-3-5 with a 4-2-5 shell will include the stud linebacker. The reality is the stud and field side DE might flip flop based on personnel. Kayvon Thibodeaux, since his arrival, has worked at field DE and stud, for instance.

ChileDuck puts out a great depth chart where you can filter for recruiting ranking.

The Good
There's a lot of depth and experience. There are 8 players that have rotated to varying degrees between the 4 spots and by all accounts Thibodeaux and Funa (true freshmen) along with DJ Johnson (transfer) will feature in the rotation. There are 11 players I'd be comfortable seeing in action Aug. 31.

The athletic profile of the unit is very good and elite on the edge. Interior linemen Austin Faoliu and Gary Baker have elite speed for their size (sub 5.0 at 300ish) and Faoliu has that "twitch" that probably makes him the best candidate of the unit to play in the NFL. One thing you will notice is a lot of length combined with speed and agility on the edge that will be useful against your rangy athletic tackles.

Bottom line: the interior is capable of stopping the run regularly where Faoliu and Baker graded exceptionally well (90.5 and 86.7 by PFF). The edge players are long, rangy and athletic to cause difficulty in the pass rush.

The Bad
As much as I love this unit for its depth and athleticism, it lost 2 players to the NFL in Jalen Jelk and Justin Hollins (Hollins was an OLB but would play the stud). They were 3rd day picks but there is no certainty that any of the experienced players will play themselves into a 3rd day draft pick. Hollins and Jelks came into the season with that pedigree.

The Ugly
Jordon Scott goes down and the dropoff is steep if we want a NT that can play two gaps. Aumavue has dealt with a shoulder injury and his play in the Michigan State gives me hope. However, that OL was dreadful. Avalos has put Gary Baker there in practice. However, Leavitt experimented with him there and opted to move him to DT/DE.

Prediction
I ultimately see this game being offensively sloppy for both teams. I do like the depth here for Oregon to stay fresh throughout the game. Scott at NT has been sturdy and reliable. Faoliu and Baker at end can stuff the run and Carlberg and Cumberlander are proven pass rushers from the interior. The stud spot has so many blue chip options and the cream will rise to the top. I also like the new scheme’s flexibility that doesn't require a true nose tackle and accentuates athleticism. Cristobal's emphasis at strength and conditioning combined with good positional coaching the past three years will take the unit to the next level.