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Oregon Ducks football 2022 spring preview: Linebackers corps one of the deepest on team

antwan staley, register-guard
·4 min read

As The Register-Guard continues its spring preview leading up to the start of spring practice on March 10 for the Oregon Ducks, it's time to look at the linebacker corps.

The Ducks return two talented linebackers to its corps in 2022. However, Oregon will need to replace both Dru Mathis and Nate Heaukulani, who brought veteran leadership to the position. Mathis was a starter in the Fresno State game before missing the rest of the season with an injury, and Heaukalani was the Ducks' third linebacker toward the latter part of the season.

The Ducks linebacking corps is arguably one of the deepest positions on the team.

Let's look at the players who are the returning linebackers this spring.

Sophomore Noah Sewell

Oregon's Noah Sewell watches senior introductions from the tunnel before the final regular season game against Oregon State.
Oregon's Noah Sewell watches senior introductions from the tunnel before the final regular season game against Oregon State.

Sewell was a first-team All-Pac-12 selection in 2021. He led the Ducks with 114 tackles and recorded 8.5 tackles for loss and four sacks in 14 games.

With Kayvon Thibodeaux and Verone McKinley III both headed to the NFL, Sewell will likely have to fill more of a leadership role next season on and off the field. He is the best returning defensive player on the Ducks roster. It will be interesting to see how first-year coach Dan Lanning uses Sewell in his defensive scheme from week to week.

Junior Mase Funa

Oregon's Mase Funa, left, tries to run down Oregon State's Trey Lowe during the third quarter.
Oregon's Mase Funa, left, tries to run down Oregon State's Trey Lowe during the third quarter.

Funa started 12 games last season and finished with 28 tackles and a tackle for loss. In his three seasons at Oregon, Funa has a total of 89 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and four sacks.

In Lanning's defense, Funa's production should increase this fall with more snaps; he could be a dark horse All-Pac-12 performer by the season's end.

A consensus four-star prospect and top 100 player by ESPN and 247Sports, Funa finished No. 68 overall and the No. 14 player in California in the 247Sports composite rating coming out of Mater Dei High. He was ranked the No. 5 overall outside linebacker in the class and No. 53 overall in the ESPN300 in the 2019 recruiting class.

Sophomore Bradyn Swinson

Sep 11, 2021; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive end Bradyn Swinson (44) celebrates following the upset win over the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium.
Sep 11, 2021; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive end Bradyn Swinson (44) celebrates following the upset win over the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium.

With Lanning's hybrid defense coming to Eugene, Swinson could be one of the biggest beneficiaries in terms of production.

During his first two years at Oregon, Swinson played with both his hand in the dirt as a defensive end and a standup outside linebacker. As the Ducks will likely play more in the 3-4 formation this season, Swinson could continue his hybrid role.

In nine games last season, Swinson finished with 24 tackles, four tackles for loss and three sacks.

Sophomore Justin Flowe

Fresno State Bulldogs wide receiver Ty Jones (8) picks up a first down during the second half as he gets tackled by Oregon Ducks linebacker Justin Flowe (10) at Autzen Stadium. The Ducks won the game 31-24.
Fresno State Bulldogs wide receiver Ty Jones (8) picks up a first down during the second half as he gets tackled by Oregon Ducks linebacker Justin Flowe (10) at Autzen Stadium. The Ducks won the game 31-24.

Injuries have been a theme for Flowe's career at Oregon.

Last season, Flowe notched a team-high 14 tackles, including five solo tackles in Oregon's win over Fresno State. He also had a forced fumble and a tackle for loss. That performance earned him the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week.

However, Flowe would miss the following week against Ohio State and the rest of the season due to a foot injury. The former five-star recruit also appeared in just one game for the Ducks in 2020 before a torn meniscus sidelined him for the rest of the year.

Sophomore Keith Brown

With Flowe out against Ohio State, Brown started in his place. He finished with just two tackles in the upset victory.

In seven games, Brown recorded 15 tackles in limited duty. Brown was a 2021 consensus four-star recruit and a top 250 player nationally by Rivals (No. 81), 247Sports (No. 103), the 247Sports composite (No. 109) and ESPN (No. 241) as he was also No. 1 ranked player from the state of Oregon.

Junior Adrian Jackson

Oregon 's Adrian Jackson, left, and Kayvon Thibodeaux celebrate a defensive stop against Oregon State during the second half.
Oregon 's Adrian Jackson, left, and Kayvon Thibodeaux celebrate a defensive stop against Oregon State during the second half.

Jackson could be another player who could benefit from the Ducks' recent coaching change. In nine games, Jackson finished with 16 tackles and 2.5 sacks last year.

In 2020, Jackson made just four tackles in the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened season. Coming out of Mullen High in Denver, Jackson was a consensus four-star and top 300 prospect by ESPN, Rivals and 247Sports. He was the top-ranked player in the state of Colorado by ESPN, Rivals and in the 247Sports composite rating.

Freshman Jonathan Flowe

Flowe played on the scout team defense during his first year at Oregon in 2021. He was a four-star recruit by both ESPN and the 247Sports Composite and a three-star prospect by 247Sports and Rivals.

Flowe was also the No. 135 player in the ESPN300 while ranking No. 218 overall by 247Sports.

Contact Register-Guard sportswriter Antwan Staley at astaley@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @antwanstaley.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Oregon Ducks have a lot of talented returns in linebacker corps