New Sparkplug Defensive End: Malik Young

Mike Kelly Talent Evaluation

The Oregon Ducks Football team received a welcome shot in the arm with the recent addition of junior college transfer Malik Young, who comes from Eastern Arizona College in Thatcher, Arizona. He grew up and played high school football in Marietta, Georgia, graduating in 2013. Young committed to West Georgia Tech out of high school, but the school dropped the sport …

Mr. Do-Everything: Darrian Felix

Mike Kelly Talent Evaluation

In the last recruiting cycle, Darrian Felix, easily one of the best athletes in the country, signed with the Oregon Ducks on Feb. 1, 2017. It is chapter one in the books of a career that will no doubt end successfully in the NFL. Felix must first do at Oregon what he did at Ft. Myers, Florida … dominate. The city of Fort Myers …

Cyrus Habibi-Likio: Blunt Force Trama at Running Back

Mike Kelly Talent Evaluation

The Oregon Ducks football team signed some terrific between-the-tackles running backs in the 2017 recruiting class and certainly Mountain View, California athlete Cyrus Habibi-Likio was one of them. According to MaxPreps, Habibi-Likio carried the ball 400 times for 2,343 yards and 23 touchdowns in four years at St. Francis High School in Mountain View, Calif. He was ranked three stars …

Daewood Davis: He can “Take the Top off of the Defense!”

Mike Kelly Talent Evaluation

One of the more interesting prospective student-athletes to sign with the Oregon Ducks Football team in the 2017 recruiting cycle is Daewood Davis. A tall lanky wide out that possesses a rare combination of size and speed. Davis who hails from Deerfield Beach, Florida was offered by over twenty Division I programs. In fact Davis committed to four different programs …

Oregon Ducks Football: Dual Threat Quarterback – Braxton Burmeister

Mike Kelly Talent Evaluation

The Oregon Ducks signed only one quarterback in the 2016-2017 recruiting cycle and they made it count in Braxton Burmeister. He was a four-year starter for La Jolla Country Day School located in La Jolla, California, a small affluent suburb of San Diego. Other notable alumnus/alumna of this school were 1994 Heisman Trophy winner Rashaan Salaam and Women’s basketball star …

Just How Good is Willie Taggart’s 2017 Recruiting Class?

Mike Kelly Talent Evaluation

On any college football team there is a direct correlation between NFL-caliber talent and winning. Sure, there are extenuating circumstances that explain why a very talented team under-performs – such as injuries, chemistry or coaching. But talent matters; it always has and it always will. The dearth of talent on Oregon’s 2016 football team manifested itself in the 2017 NFL Draft …

Oregon Ducks Football: New Booming Leg – Adam Stack

Mike Kelly Talent Evaluation

Kickers and punters tend to be the forgotten members of a football team. That is, of course, until you need them. Like when the game is on the line or a season is in the balance. And it’s at that moment that you’re glad you’ve got a good one waiting in the wings to go in and bail out the …

Oregon Ducks Football: Prototypical 3-4 Defensive End Rutger Reitmaier

Mike Kelly Talent Evaluation

The Oregon Ducks football team signed an impressive defensive lineman in this last recruiting cycle, plucking Rutger Reitmaier out of Tennessee. This is the third year in a row that the Ducks have signed a highly regarded prospect out of the Volunteer state. Last year Oregon signed All-World wide receiver Dillon Mitchell, a four-star prospect and Tennessee Gatorade State Player …

Oregon Ducks Football: New Impact DT Transfer from Clemson-Scott Pagano

Mike Kelly Talent Evaluation

The Oregon Ducks football team received a much needed commitment of talent and leadership from graduate transfer Scott Pagano on April 14, 2017 when the veteran defensive tackle from Clemson chose the Ducks over Oklahoma, Notre Dame, California, Arkansas and Nebraska among some 30 other schools. Scott Pagano was a highly regarded National Recruit in the 2013 recruiting cycle. Scout.com …

Oregon Ducks Football: New Lockdown Cornerback Thomas Graham, Jr.

Mike Kelly Talent Evaluation

In a really fine defensive back class that the Oregon Ducks football team signed in February 2017, one of the headliners is certainly cornerback Thomas Graham Jr. from Rancho Cucamonga, California. Graham was a three-year starter for the Cougars playing wide receiver, safety and cornerback. He follows notable alumni Terrell Thomas (N.Y. Giants) and Gerald Alexander (Jacksonville, Carolina), as well as former Oregon …

Oregon Football Has a New “Wrecking Ball,” Jordon Scott

Mike Kelly Talent Evaluation

New Oregon football defensive lineman Jordon Scott from Largo, Florida, is poised to anchor the middle of head coach Willie Taggart’s 3-4 defense for the foreseeable future. He has the potential to be the one of the best defensive tackles ever at Oregon, following the likes of Rolland Putzier and Haloti Ngata. He has been listed as 6-foot-1, and weighing 345 pounds. …

Recruiting Analysis: Taking on George Moore

Mike Kelly Talent Evaluation

My background is the NFL Draft, so I will be looking at college recruits from that perspective: not only on their immediately impact at the collegiate level, but what their long term prospects may be.  The NFL is about three things when assessing talent: height, weight, speed, potential and motivation. I’ve based the following on new Ducks recruit, George Moore, …