Something special is happening in Eugene. The hype and excitement grow bigger almost every week, as Oregon Ducks head coach Mario Cristobal continues to attract some of the best high school football players from around the country.
The Ducks currently hold the No. 8 recruiting class in the country, but offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead and the Ducks’ offense just got a little more dangerous with the addition of the nation’s No. 2 wide receiver Troy Franklin, who selected Oregon over Alabama, Arizona State and Washington.
And Franklin, a 6-foot-2, 170-pound recruit from the Bay Area, believes something special is happening, too.
“I think [Oregon’s] on a verge of a natty,” Franklin told OregonLive.
Committed !🤀 let’s get it !!!!!!!🗀🍀 . (Sorry for the late post ) pic.twitter.com/F5BqdFUz5R
— Troy Franklin (@TroooyyyyyyTroy) June 13, 2020
Over the past week, this sentiment has been echoed by other top-ranked Oregon commits, taking to social media to spread the word about where they believe this program will be next season — right smack dab in the national championship conversation.
Keith Brown, a four-star linebacker who recently committed to Oregon, told The Athletic about Oregon, “The No. 1 defense in the country, and we’ll be in the national championship without a doubt because we’ll have good guys coming in, too.”
Brown also tweeted, “Duck fam, we ain’t done yet. Stay tuned.”
This theme consistent amongst the newest recruits, who have set the bar to its highest notch. And why not? Shoot for the moon, man.
But it also seems to be the consensus of sports pundits and analysts, especially when looking at the Pac-12, that Oregon is positioned to control its destiny in the North again this year. Athlon Sports picked the Ducks to repeat as league champions in 2020.
As of right now, this prediction based more on Oregon’s talent on the defensive side of the ball than its offensive playmaking ability. But that is already starting to change.
Xavier Worthy had 54 receptions for 992 yards and 16 touchdowns during his junior year at Central High School. Will he be a Duck?
I haven’t felt this kind of anticipation for something since former Oregon skipper Chip Kelly had thrust Oregon football into the national picture. The energy around the program was intense and you couldn’t help but get swept up in the excitement and truly embrace the championship mindset. And I’m feeling that same energy again— my Duck-y senses are quacking.
But there is one recruit that remains uncommitted who could bring even more firepower to the Ducks’ offense. Four-star recruit Xavier Worthy is set to announce his decision on June 27 via Instagram. The speedy Under Armour All-American is a 6-foot-1, 160-pound athlete, who has been compared to NFL receiver DeSean Jackson.
Worthy ran a 10.55 100-meter dash as a sophomore in high school in Fresno, California. Worthy’s final six schools have been trimmed to Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Michigan and Oregon.
Dont’e Thornton is another four-star receiver predicted to join the Ducks. Ranked as the country’s No. 6 pass-catcher, Thornton has already shared some glowing reviews of Oregon.
“Oregon is one of my top schools right now,” Thornton told OregonLive in the summer of 2019. “It was exactly what I thought it would be. It was mind-blowing. It was my first time ever. I’ve been wanting to come to this school since I was in the first grade, so it was a great memory for me.”
According to OregonLive, Thornton would be the third highest-rated receiver commit in program history. If Oregon continues its hot streak of landing high-caliber receivers — don’t forget recently committed Kyron Ware-Hudson! — the Ducks could be primed to make these young players’ dreams come true.
Jordan Ingram
San Diego, CA
Top photo from Twitter
Jordan is a lifelong Duck fan currently living in San Diego. Jordan graduated from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, after serving a prestigious fellowship with the Washington State House of Representatives. Upon graduation, he worked as an English language teaching assistant for the Spanish Ministry of Education’s Ambassadorial Program in Monforte de Lemos, Spain. Jordan has worked as a journalist, writer, and editor in Oregon, Washington, Montana, and California, covering a wide range of topics, including sports, local politics, and crime. He is VERY excited to be writing about his beloved Oregon Ducks.