Oregon's Evan Stewart (7) celebrates after a touchdown against Michigan on Nov. 2, 2024. Stewart reportedly suffered a knee injury that could hold him out for the entirety of the 2025 season. Courtesy photo: Raleigh Emerson

University of Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart suffered a knee injury that could jeopardize his availability for the entirety of the 2025 college football season, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported Friday, June 6.

Zenitz wrote that Stewart’s injury is “believed to be a torn patellar tendon”, putting the senior receiver’s availability for the upcoming 2025 season in question with a potentially lengthy recovery time.

According to the American Academy of Orthopedic surgeons, a torn patellar tendon and surgery to repair it can take anywhere from six months to a full year to recover from. That timeline would put Stewart’s potential return in the realm of December of 2025 to June of 2026, but the severity of Stewart’s injury, as well as its official diagnosis have yet to be confirmed.

Stewart, a former five-star recruit from the state of Texas, played his first season as a Duck in 2024 after transferring from Texas A&M. In his first season at Oregon, Stewart had 48 receptions for 613 yards and five touchdowns. The then-junior’s best game came against Ohio State in the regular season, catching seven passes for 149 yards and a score in the Ducks’ 32-31 win over the Buckeyes at Autzen Stadium.

Stewart was in uniform for Oregon’s 41-21 season-ending loss to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, but did not play. According to himself, Stewart had suffered a back injury following the Ducks’ Big Ten Conference championship game win over Penn State.

The now-senior receiver was a prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft in April, but elected to return to Oregon for another year after the loss to the Buckeyes. With teammates like Tez Johnson, Terrance Ferguson and Traeshon Holden departing for the NFL, Stewart was in line to be the Ducks top receiving option and Oregon’s most experienced returning receiver.

Should Stewart miss the entirety of 2025, Oregon’s passing attack would be headlined by redshirt junior Justius Lowe, redshirt senior Gary Bryant Jr., senior Florida State transfer Malik Benson and five-star freshman Dakorien Moore.

Oregon opens the 2025 season against FCS Montana State at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene.