Sources: Oregon WR Evan Stewart suffers significant knee injury

Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart has suffered a knee injury that is expected to impact his availability in the 2025 season, sources confirmed to ESPN’s Pete Thamel on Friday.

The injury, which occurred earlier this week, is potentially season-ending, and Stewart is set to undergo further evaluations, according to sources. It is unclear how the injury occurred.

Stewart, who began his career at Texas A&M before transferring to Eugene ahead of the 2024 season, caught 48 passes for 613 yards and five touchdowns last year. He did not play in Oregon’s 41-21 loss to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl due to a lower back injury.

The former five-star recruit was projected as a top wide receiver in the Big Ten this season and as the Ducks’ leading returning receiver after top targets Tez Johnson and Traeshon Holden left the program. With sophomore quarterback Dante Moore likely taking the reins under center after Dillon Gabriel departed for the NFL, Stewart was likely to be Moore’s No. 1 target in his debut season.

The rest of the Ducks’ receiving group is now headlined by returning wideouts Justius Lowe and Gary Bryant Jr. as well as Malik Benson, who transferred from Florida State in the offseason. Benson had 25 catches for 311 yards and one touchdown at FSU last year.

At Texas A&M, Stewart had 53 catches for 649 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games during his freshman season. He had 38 catches for 514 yards and four scores in eight games during 2023, his final season with the Aggies.

ESPN’s Chris Low contributed to this report.