Today we continue looking back to past classes for the Ducks. Through the first five articles we have seen that the Ducks have had plenty of players that could be considered “over-achievers” as their production both during college and after far exceeded their expectations. We have also seen several players who either did not live up to their expectations or simply never made it to Oregon. Chip Kelly arrived as the offensive coordinator for the 2007 season. He had not yet had much impact on recruiting, but 2007 seems to be the year where everything changed for the Ducks. We saw on Wednesday just how much talent the defense landed in this class. The offense is not much different. Of the 13 players signed that season, five were rated four-stars by Rivals; only two were rated less than three stars. There was less “reaching” and a better core group of skill players. There main missing piece in this class was quarterback. But having signed three in 2006, it did not seem like much of a need at the time. This was a glimpse at the future for the Ducks as only one player signed on the offensive side of the ball for the 2007 class failed to make it into school. The coaches were taking less reaches academically as well. This would pay dividends in the near future Let us take a look back, now, at the offensive players signed in the class of 2007:
| Name | Position | Stars | Games Started |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Asper
Impact:Asper joined the Ducks after completing a two year missioin for the Mormon Church. Upon his arrival, a redshirt year benefited him greatly. He made his first start in the 2008 Holiday Bowl victory over Oklahoma State and never looked back starting 37 of his final 40 games in a Duck uniform. He was selected as an honorable mention all conference offensive lineman as a senior in 2011 and was named the team outstanding offensive lineman. Mark was selected in the 6th round by the Buffalo Bills in the 2012 NFL draft. | OL |  |
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| Charlie Carmichael
Impact:After being named to the Long Beach Press “Best in the West” list as a senior in 2006, there was much expected of Carmichael. Unfortunately, he was plagued with injuries after his arrival and never made an impact. He saw action in three games as a redshirt sophomore before injuries forced him to retire from football. HE did go on to graduate from the University of Oregon with a degree in International Business. |
OL | |
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| Drew D.J. Davis
Impact:Davis finished high school early and arrived in time for spring drills in 2007. His dedication paid off as he saw action in 12 games during his freshman season. As a sophomore, Davis tore knee ligaments in his nonth appearance of the season against Stanford. Over his last two seasons, Davis started 21 games and accounted for 65 receptions and 703 yards. It was Davis’ 29 yard reception on 4th and 5 that continued a series which saw the Ducks tie Auburn late int eh National Championship Game. After completing his eligibility, Davis signed as a freee agent with the Atlanta Falcons. He appeared in 4 pre-season games his rookie season and caught three passes for 23 yards. | WR | |
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| John Laidet
Impact:Laidet arrived from tiny Bonanza, Oregon as a tight end. After his first year in Eugene, he chose to transfer to Montana State where he joined former Ducks Cody Kempt and Elvis Akpla. A 3 year starter for the Bobcats at defensive end, Laidet carved out a nice career for himself. He still lives in Bozeman. | TE | |
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| Malachi Lewis
Impact:A high school All-American, Lewis arrived in Eugene with high expectations. He found himself ina bit of a “tweener” position, though, as he filled a niche as a tight end/h-back role. Never quite fitting into a wide receiver role and not big enough to be an every down tight end, Lewis was a quintessential team player who continued working hard his entire career. Lewis appeared in the first 26 games as a Duck and was a valuable contributor on special teams. Lewis’ role diminished as he appeared in just 10 games total over his final two seasons in Eugene. Malachi graduated from Oregon in 2011 with a degree in Computer and Information Science. | WR | |
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| Jeff Maehl
Impact:Maehl began his career in the defensive backfield for the Ducks. As a reserve safety, Maehl had 14 tackles through the first 10 games of the 2007 season. Injuries necessitated his move to offense and Maehl never looked back. Maehl started the final 39 games of his career as a Duck and finished his career with 178 catches, tied for most in school history for 2311 yards and 24 touchdowns (also tied for most in school history). His 12 touchdown receptions as a senior set the Oregon single season mark. Maehl will forever be remembered by Duck fans for securing the 2 point conversion against Auburn that tied the game. Signed as a member of the Houston Texans practice squad, Maehl made it to the active roster late in the 2011 season and saw action in three games for the Texans. | WR | |
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