Oregon’s youth in the trenches could be getting a quick bolster from a crop of in-state talent as Steve Greatwood and Ron Aiken are finding the lumber among the Portland pines. Offensive tackle Dawson Jaramillo (4-Star/Lake Oswego, Ore.) and defensive counterpart Brandon Pili (NR/Portland, Ore.), are a pair of new targets emerging in the greater metro area and could be headed just a short distance south for their collegiate future.
While not on an official visit to watch the Ducks’ drubbing of hapless Virginia, Pili was all smiles as he took in the romp. ”… Was really good,” said Pili. “I loved watching the game and the atmosphere in the stadium. We got to go inside the locker room after the game and we got a tour. I’ve been to Oregon before, but it’s always amazing. It was definitely an energetic atmosphere and we had a lot of fun.”
A 6-foot-4, 310 lb. force, Pili is a recent transplant to the Portland from Anchorage, Alaska, and could wind up on Aiken’s big board with a strong senior season. He has already impressed Oregon State enough to get an offer from the Beavers after only one Oregon high school game. The Ducks are still gathering more information, but it is assumed that the Ducks will be offering in the near future as well.
“(Coach Aiken) said he remembered me from the camp this summer. He said he remembered me from camp and I’ve gotten a lot faster. He said he’ll be at one of my games really soon to watch me play.”
A year younger in the prep ranks, Jaramillo is rapidly becoming a name to watch on the West Coast. While only a junior, he’s already in Greatwood’s wheelhouse along what should be a very stout, yet limber future unit.
“It was interesting to see how it all works at the college level,” said Jaramillo. “It was cool sitting by the sideline and watching the coaches interact with the players. I spent a lot of time watching both offensive lines to compare them. I watched Tyrell Crosby a lot, too. It’s impressive to see some of the things he’s able to do. He’s a really good run blocker.”
An already-impressive 6-foot-4, 280 lbs., Jaramillo fits the mold of Oregon’s quick hitting, get out in front tackles.
“The game was cool. The fans are great,” said Kelly-Powell. “There were a lot of people who knew who I was and were recruiting me to Oregon. My folks liked it a lot, too. We were all impressed with the game. I spent a lot of time watching the defensive backs, too. They all played well.”
Kelly-Powell might be one of the biggest steals in the 2017 class due to uncanny instincts as a defender (see video below). In addition, look no further than a 4.0 GPA to understand his work ethic.
This group of defenders could be the foundation blocks of a new defense for Oregon, and it is satisfying to have a talented in-state pair for the Ducks to target. Our thanks again to the good people at 247Sports, Duck Territory for sharing this information with our readers. For more up-to-date recruiting information, go there for a trial subscription!
Top photo by John Sperry
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Mark Flores, a Salem, OR resident, is a Firefighter/Paramedic and an avid Oregon Ducks fan. Prior to the fire service, Flores, a graduate of nearby Corban University, spent over seven years in professional journalism including a stint at the Statesman Journal in Salem and held the position of Sports Editor for the Hilltop News (Corban). A career transition however never dampened his love of writing and FishDuck is now his source to share his love of Mighty Oregon. Flores brings detailed knowledge of Oregon recruiting to the FishDuck team and welcomes your feedback.