After a year of an oddly weird season consisting of blowout losses and public sham, the year 1 head coach Bill Belichick saw 31 of his players head to the transfer portal. Out of the 31, one of the biggest names is DL D’Antre Robinson, to the Oregon Ducks. Speaking with USA Today, the former UNC DL spilled the reason behind his move to Eugene, and it has least to do with NIL money.

“With Oregon, the way they deliver, how hard it is to come here, how hard it is to work here,” Robinson said while speaking to USA Today. “You know, they have the resume that tells you if you’re a D-lineman, it’s almost guaranteed, you come in and work hard, you come in and be the guy, you come here and work and do your thing, you’re basically gonna go to the league. If I come here, it’s gonna be hard work, it’s gonna be hard for me to come, but come put in the work and you’ve got a great chance of going to the NFL. That’s my main goal.”

The Ducks have sent over 7 or 8 D-linemen in the last 4 years, including three in the 2025 NFL Draft: Derrick Harmon (DT), Jordan Burch (EDGE) and Jamaree Caldwell (DT). Robinson saw that and made the move for Eugene and called it ‘no-brainer.’

So, D’Antre Robinson basically said moving to Oregon was the ultimate passage to get into the NFL. Even though he had a solid run at UNC under Bill Belichick (last season, he recorded 39 tackles, half a sack, and a forced fumble), he felt like the Ducks were on a different level when it comes to getting guys ready for the NFL. The former Florida State transfer wanted to be in an environment where he’d be pushed every single day. That was clearly something missing with Bill’s North Carolina, judging by his year 1.

Unlike most of the transfers, who only make the jump after being certain about their starting role in other programs, the 6’4 D-lineman decided to take a bet on himself. It’s not like he doesn’t have the talent to be a starter there. He’s joining a super deep room with guys like Bear Alexander and A’Mauri Washington, Matayo Uiagalelei, and Teitum Tuioti. Needless to say, he has a serious amount of catching up and work cut out for him if he wants to avoid sitting on the bench.

He specifically mentioned learning from them, especially Alexander’s strength and Washington’s quickness off the line. He said those traits are things he wants to add to his own game. Robinson also talked about other teammates in the defensive line room. He mentioned Aydin Breland and said he is trying to learn from his pass-rushing moves.

The lineman also pointed out a player named Matt Johnson, saying, “Matt Johnson’s work ethic is super crazy. He made me want to work even harder.” These players are helping shape how he trains and improves. The whole plan is to be a sponge, learn as much as possible, and make your way to the NFL.
Even if he doesn’t make the starting gig right away, he’s got two years of eligibility left. That should be plenty of time to make a name for himself in the Big Ten and hopefully make the league next year or in two years’ time.

The expectations for the Oregon Ducks’ front-seven for the 2026 season

The reason many high on the Ducks are, the entire starting defensive line decided to skip the NFL Draft and come back for one last ride. It’s now overlooked by their new DC, Chris Hampton. Bear Alexander and A’Mauri Washington will be starting in the interior (middle). The ops should hesitate a little before they plan to start running the football.

It’s pretty rare to have this many experienced players return at once, so their teamwork should be great right from the first game. On the edges, things get even tougher for the other team’s quarterback. Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti. Since their old leader Bryce Boettcher graduated, it’s now up to Jerry Mixon and Devon Jackson to take charge of the linebacker department.

Overall, the goal for this group is to be the best in the country and win a national championship. Even though they have a new coach calling the plays, the system is staying the same, and these players already know it by heart. With this much starters returning, everyone expects them to be the most physical and dominant defense in the Big Ten. And it’s not even a stretch.