The 2023 college football regular season has come to a close after Army's 17-11 over Navy this weekend. That means that while bowl season is about to get underway, the transfer portal is about to take center stage in college football if it hasn't already. When talking about the transfer portal, one of the kings of the portal has been the Oregon Ducks football program. A large portion of their team this season has been pieced together through the portal with the likes of Bo Nix, Tez Johnson, Bucky Irving, and Khyree Jackson, among others all arriving to Eugene via the portal. Well, the Ducks have already landed another big fish through the portal. News dropped this weekend that Oklahoma transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel picked the Oregon football program after entering his name in the portal.

Oregon football surely isn't done in the portal either. They were so close to making the College Football Playoff this season and should be able to make it next season when the field expands to 12 teams. The question now becomes, who else should the Ducks pursue after landing Dillon Gabriel? A couple of players stand out.

Raheim ‘Rocket' Sanders, Running Back

Bucky Irving has been tremendous for the Ducks the last two seasons after he transferred to Eugene from the University of Minnesota. Irving has run for 2,121 yards the last seasons and has done so while averaging a robust 6.46 yards per carry. Though he is a bit undersized at 5-10 195-pounds, Irving has been a menace to tackle. He was one of the best running backs in college football this season.

Because of that, it is very possible Irving leaves for the NFL Draft. As a running back, he should leave as soon as possible and save some hits for the pros. If that happens, then Arkansas running back Rocket Sanders should be atop the Ducks' priorities in the portal. Rocket Sanders was also one of the best running backs in the 2022 season. He rattled off 1,443 yards and ten touchdowns on the ground while averaging 6.5 yards per attempt. He also added 28 receptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns through the air. Rocket Sanders did everything.

But injuries and an incompetent Arkansas offense held Sanders back in 2023. He went from averaging 6.5 yards per carry to 3.4. A tough Arkansas season has Sanders in the portal instead of declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft. At his new school, he'll want to prove the 2022 version of Rocket Sanders is the real Rocket Sanders. Oregon might be the best place for him to do just that.

Deion Burks, Wide Receiver

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Deion Burks in an Oregon football uniform

When Deion Burks first entered his name in the transfer portal, Oregon was among a litany of schools in the running to land him out of the portal.

If Burks wants to know if he can be successful at Oregon after transferring there, all he has to do is look at current Duck receiver Tez Johnson. Johnson transferred to Oregon from Troy and went on to put up 1,010 yards and nine touchdowns on 75 receptions this season. Burks can do the same in Eugene.

Burks' numbers don't pop off the screen; in three seasons at Purdue, Burks has put up 63 receptions for 804 yards and seven touchdowns. But his situation in Purdue has been a little tricky to parse. As a freshman, Purdue had David Bell as their primary receiver. Last season, Purdue relied upon Charlie Jones, a transfer from Buffalo. Both players went on to get drafted in the NFL. But after last season, Purdue starting quarterback Aidan O'Connell and head coach Jeff Brohm both left the program, and Purdue's offense paid the price. That's how Burks led the team in receiving yards with 629 of them and was responsible for nearly a quarter of the team's receiving yards on the season.

All the offensive structure in the world will be there at Oregon, however. Johnson and Troy Franklin could declare for the NFL Draft after this season, so Oregon could be in a spot where they really need a receiver. If that's the case, they may not find a better on than Deion Burks.