Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart suffered a knee injury this week and could miss extensive time as he recovers from what is believed to be a torn patellar tendon. The former five-star recruit and top-returning target in the Ducks’ receiving unit confirmed in a social media post that he is on the mend, and he said not to put a timeline on his return to the field. CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported that there is concern Stewart could miss the entire 2025 season.
The offseason injury is a significant setback for the Oregon offense, which must replace the top two wideouts by receiving yardage from a year ago in Tez Johnson and Traeshon Holden. Stewart hauled in 48 catches for 613 yards and five touchdowns in his Oregon debut. The five scores were a career high.
“Thank you for all the well wishes, I’m on the road to recovery,” Stewart said. “Don’t put a timeline on me. Following God’s Plan! Thank you for the prayers! Be back soon!”
The 2025 season was originally an NFL audition for Stewart, who has one year of eligibility remaining but could add another year to his clock if the injury forces him to miss enough time. He figured to be a go-to weapon for new projected starting quarterback Dante Moore, who transferred into the program for the 2024 season and backed up Dillon Gabriel. The knee injury put all of that in question.
In Stewart’s absence, Dan Lanning has a number of options at his disposal, though none of them carry nearly as much experience as premier weapons. The most tantalizing of those depth chart risers is five-star freshman Dakorien Moore, who enrolled early and dazzled in spring practices as an electric athlete with a massive catch radius. Fellow newcomer Malik Benson, who transferred this offseason from Florida State, is another fresh face with upside.
Among the returning players in the Ducks’ receiving corps, senior Gary Bryant Jr. and junior Justius Lowe possess the clearest paths to playing time. Bryant missed all but two games last year with an injury of his own, while Lowe accounted for 21 catches, 203 yards and a touchdown.
Oregon remains a top-tier contender in the Big Ten on the heels of its debut season in the 18-team league. The Ducks won the conference with a perfect 13-0 record before they fell to Ohio State in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup at the Rose Bowl.
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