Oregon Ducks Football: 5 New Faces You Should Know in 2012

As the 2012 season nears closer and closer, Oregon fans grow more anxious, waiting patiently for the reveal of a roster changed considerably from last season.

Returning 13 starters from 2011's Rose Bowl Champion squad, the Ducks will have a variety of fresh faces occupying various slots on their depth chart in 2012. Beyond the obvious departures of LaMichael James and Darron Thomas, the Ducks will have several holes to fill if they aim to continue their recent dominance of the Pac-12.

Luckily for Autzen faithful, coach Chip Kelly has once again done an impressive job of recruiting and reloading the Ducks' roster, and 2012 will provided plenty of opportunities to see some of the more highly-touted commits in action early. Oregon's recent history has been full of impactful freshmen and this year should be no different as the Ducks find themselves with a bevy of young talent on both sides of the ball.

Who will be this year's De'Anthony Thomas? Click to find out....

Arik Armstead, DE

The "crowning jewel" of the Ducks' 2012 recruiting class, Arik Armstead should have a chance to show fans in Eugene that he's worth the hype fairly soon. 

Armstead, a 4-star prospect and one of the highest rated lineman in the nation on both sides of the ball (he is the No. 1 OT prospect in the nation, according to Scout), should be able to contribute immediately for an Oregon team that lost five starters on defense from last season. Armstead is expected to compete to replace Terrell Turner on the line, a tall order considering Turner was an honorable mention All-Pac-12 DE and the team's most outstanding lineman last year.

However, Armstead should be up to the task. He possesses tremendous size for the position (6'8", 290 lbs.), as well as impressive speed and agility (he could potentially play basketball for the Ducks as well).

If Armstead is as talented as he was highly-regarded during the recruiting process, he should be a great new addition to a talented young defense.

Evan Baylis, TE

Known for refining and producing talent at the tight end position, the Ducks may have their next big target in incoming freshman Evan Baylis. 

A 4-star prospect out of Colorado, Baylis should see a decent amount of playing time beginning early in the season. The Ducks have to replace second team All-Pac 12 TE David Paulson, who departed for the NFL after graduating last season. Baylis, who elected to graduate early and join Oregon for spring practices, should see a good amount of snaps behind expected starter Colt Lyerla this season.

With a new starting quarterback at the helm of the offense, developing safety-blanket type targets will be key for the Ducks this season. If Baylis continues to show promise, he and Lyerla could be quite the formidable duo to provide support for whoever assumes the mantle of QB for the Ducks.  

Alex Balducci, DE

Another addition to a very promising young core of linemen, DE Alex Balducci should be yet another fresh face seeing time on the defense this fall.

Balducci, 4-star prospect and homegrown star from Portland, should be an excellent complement to Armstead as well as a suitable replacement for Terrell Turner. The former Oregon 6A Defensive Player of the Year, Balducci was also an Army All-American Bowl participant and a Rivals top-100 player. Balducci may lack Armstead's awe-inducing size, but he is said to possess a great game IQ as well as stellar agility and footwork. 

With Turner gone, the Ducks will be looking for several players to step up and fill the void left on the defensive line. With Balducci and Armstead both occupying space on the front, Oregon should have no trouble replacing the talented Turner.

Tacoi Sumler, WR

Although technically a member of the class of 2011, most Ducks fans are not yet familiar with the name Tacoi Sumler. This season, however, all of them should become acquainted with his speed.

A Miami, Fla. transport, Sumler had the distinction of being the fastest high school player in the country for his class, clocking a jaw-dropping 4.24 in the 40 before joining the Ducks in 2011. Sumler spent last season as a red shirt freshman, working with the scout team and likely bulking up his rather diminutive frame (5'9", 170 lbs.), but should be ready to contribute to the Ducks' receiving corp this year. Oregon will likely need him to after losing its top receiver and Rose Bowl standout Lavasier Tuinei to graduation this past year.

A speedy and explosive athlete in the mold of De'Anthony Thomas, Sumler should provide yet another weapon to an already dangerous offense, and should be a big-play threat for whoever is behind center next season.

Byron Marshall, RB

Adjusting to life after LaMichael James will be no easy feat for Duck fans this fall, but it should be made slightly less painful by the addition of talented freshman running back Byron Marshall. 

A 4-star prospect out of San Jose, Marshall should see plenty of playing time as a potential backup to starter Kenyon Barner. Barner, who's struggled with durability issues in the past, will likely need to rely on other players within the position group to shoulder some of the workload this season. Marshall should fit into that role well, providing a good amount of strength and a power-running aspect that complements Barner's fleet-footed running style.

Always the cornerstone of the Ducks' patented spread attack, a strong running back tandem will be key if the Ducks hope to repeat as Pac-12 champs again this year. If Marshall can provide and thrive in this secondary role, he could be next in line in the tradition of outstanding Oregon backs.