Bear Alexander is the quicker of Oregon's two starting defensive tackles, the one who shoots gaps while A'Mauri Washington holds the point. At 6-3 and 302, he started every one of Oregon's first five games in 2026 per the official box scores, and through UCLA on Oct 10 he had 23 tackles, 3 tackles for loss and 2 sacks, both on third down.
The second sack meant a little extra. Alexander played for USC in 2023 and 2024 before coming to Oregon, and on Sept 26 at the Coliseum he dropped Jayden Maiava for a 4-yard loss on third-and-7 on USC's opening drive. USC missed the 33-yard field goal that followed. Boise State got the same treatment in the opener: a sack on third-and-4 in the first quarter that forced a punt.
His path runs through three of the biggest programs in the sport: Georgia in 2022, USC in 2023 and 2024, and Oregon since 2025, when he made 50 tackles, per ESPN. He is a redshirt senior, so this is his last college season.
Week 9 vs Northwestern, Oct 31, 2026
Shared a sack of Aidan Chiles with Matayo Uiagalelei with 9:33 left against Northwestern, on the drive that ended in a missed 42-yard field goal.
ESPN box score and play-by-play, Oct 31, 2026
2
Sacks (2026)
Both on third down
17
Tackles (2026)
2.5 for loss, 4 starts
50
Tackles (2025)
First season at Oregon
302
Weight (lbs)
6-3, R-Senior
2
Sacks in five 2026 starts, both on third down
One against Boise State, one back at the Coliseum against the program he used to play for.
thequackreport.com
The Impact
Where Washington holds the point of attack, Alexander attacks it. His quickness off the snap is the whole point: when a protection slides toward Matayo Uiagalelei or Teitum Tuioti on the edge, the one-on-one inside is his. The 2026 numbers show what that looks like when it works. He has 2 of Oregon's 9 sacks through five games, and his 8 tackles in the opener tied Uiagalelei for the most by anyone on Oregon's front that night. He also has a quarterback hurry, against Boise State.
The 2026 Season So Far
Four starts in the first four games, per the official box scores. Boise State (Sept 5): 8 tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry. At Oklahoma State (Sept 12): 4 tackles in 53 of 87 snaps (Ducks Wire / Yahoo Sports) on the defense's hardest night, 244 rushing yards allowed outside of sacks. Portland State (Sept 18): 3 tackles and half a tackle for loss. At USC (Sept 26): 2 tackles and the sack on third-and-7. Our read: both USC sacks came on the opening drive and there were none after the first quarter, so the front's next step is pressure that lasts four quarters.
The Road to Eugene
Alexander started his career at Georgia in 2022 (9 tackles, 2 sacks), moved to USC for 2023 (47 tackles, 1.5 sacks) and 2024 (5 tackles), and transferred to Oregon for 2025, where he made 50 tackles with 1 sack. All figures from ESPN. That is four seasons across three programs, and his return to the Coliseum on Sept 26 ended with a sack and a win.
The Front Four
Uiagalelei, Tuioti, Washington, Alexander: the four front players the official box scores have listed as starters in every game this season. The group had 3 sacks against Boise State, none at Oklahoma State, 2 against Portland State, 2 at USC and 2 against UCLA, both by Uiagalelei (ESPN box scores). Our read: the opener is still this front's best game, and against UCLA the front held up while the offense gave the ball away seven times. Watch the interior. That is where this defense starts.
Watch List for 2026
1
Third-down rush: both of his sacks came on third down. Count his pressures when the offense has to throw.
2
After the first quarter: both USC sacks came on the opening drive. Can the front keep it up for four quarters?
3
Run fits at Illinois on Oct 24: gap shooting is a trade. Watch whether the gap he leaves gets hit.
4
Snap share: 53 of 87 at Oklahoma State is the most recent published count. The rotation behind him keeps him fresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
A redshirt senior defensive tackle, 6-3 and 302, who started each of Oregon's first four 2026 games next to A'Mauri Washington. He played at Georgia (2022) and USC (2023 and 2024) before transferring to Oregon for 2025.
Yes, in 2023 and 2024. He made 47 tackles for USC in 2023, per ESPN. Back at the Coliseum on Sept 26, 2026, he sacked Jayden Maiava on third-and-7, and USC missed the field goal that followed.
2 in 2026 through UCLA (against Boise State and at USC), with 23 tackles and 3 tackles for loss. He had 1 sack and 50 tackles in 2025, his first season at Oregon.
He is a redshirt senior, so 2026 is his last college season and the NFL Draft is the next step. We have not found a draft projection we can source, so we are not printing one.
Sources: GoDucks.com, 247Sports (2025-2026). This page covers on-field performance and publicly available recruiting data only.
