Recruiting is an ever-evolving enigma. In a day in age where a verbal commitment can mean absolutely nothing until that spoken word becomes etched on a letter of intent, the ebbs and flows of the recruiting cycle become all the more murky.
Enter defensive line superprep Korey Foreman (5-Star/Corona, CA). Upon announcing his decommitment from Clemson in May, Foreman now has a group of schools commanding his attention. Oregon’s involvement with the 6’4, 245 lb. lineman began very early in the recruiting cycle and will undoubtedly result in yet another visit later this fall.
Defensive lineman Korey Foreman, the nation’s No. #1 recruit, is considering Oregon following his decommitment from Clemson.
“I like Oregon a lot and there’s a very good chance they make my list,” said Foreman. “I’ve always liked Oregon and they’re one of the first schools that got involved with me. They were my second offer and I have a great relationship with the coaching staff. Coach Joe (Salave’a) is my lead recruiter but with Oregon, I talk to everyone. He’s an amazing guy and so is coach Cristobal and I also talk with coach (Andy) Avalos and coach (Ken) Wilson too. They have a specific plan for how they want to use me and it’s a really good fit in a lot of ways for me.”
Much has been made about Foreman’s friendship with Masson Smith (5 Star/Houma, LA) and how the duo may turn into a package-deal on defensive line at the next level. Smith’s name however was not the only one mentioned by Foreman when speaking on his destinations of choice.
“I’ve been up to Oregon twice already and always have a great vibe and comfort level there. I like how they play, their style of defense is exciting and it would be fun to play with guys like Justin Flowe and Kayvon Thibodeaux. I know we could have a really dynamic defense for sure.”
Will a southern California connection between the likes of Foremen, Flowe, Thibodeaux come to fruition? Only time will tell.
Oregon’s fortunes on the edge are skyrocketing with the commitment of arguably the top receiver prospect in 2021 class; Troy Franklin (4-Star/Menlo Park, CA).
Wide receiver Troy Franklin will take his top-end speed to Eugene following his final prep campaign later this fall.
“I think the Oregon program is on to something big,” said Franklin. “I told coach (Mario) Cristobal (that I was committing) and he was stoked. The whole staff was. Coach (Jim) Mastro, coach (Joe) Moorhead and coach (Bryan) McClendon all played a role. Especially coach McClendon. I really liked how he coaches and how they want to use me.”
Very much of note is the instant impact that newly minted receiver’s coach (McClendon) has made during his short time with the program. McClendon’s name has been flying around the recruiting waves since joining Cristobal’s staff and it appears that there is a new maestro Oregon’s symphony of recruiters.
A position group that has long struggled to find consistency has been rebuilt from the ground up through an obvious commitment from Cristobal and the rest of the coaching staff. Perhaps the icing on the cake will be the expected commitment announcement from Xavier Worthy (4-Star/Fresno, CA). A long rumored Duck lean, Worthy projects in the same mold as De’Anthony Thomas and would only further add to the juggernaut that is the 2021 Oregon class.
Not to be forgotten in the passing game, Oregon’s tight ends have an equally impressive addition in that of recent commit Moliki Matavao (4-Star/Henderson, NV).
“I want to be a part of a winning program,” said Matavao. “I want to go win a national championship. Oregon is grabbing huge players. It’s also huge to know the coaches are landing big recruits and are taking back the West, so to know that you’ve got a chance to possibly play for a national championship in the coming seasons is huge.”
A 6’6, 240 lbs., Matavao is one of the more athletic tight ends to pledge to Oregon in recent memory. Look for his broad skill set to play into all aspects of Oregon’s offensive system whether it be blocking or finding his way into passing game.
“I was very intrigued by coach Moorhead… I want to be utilized and contribute to win games and I really like where I fit at Oregon.”
Mark Flores
Salem, OR
Top Photo Credit: Gary Breedlove
Chris Brouilette, the FishDuck.com Volunteer editor for this article, is a current student at the University of Oregon from Sterling, Illinois.
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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.