The summer recruiting cycle, the year of our lord 2020; Oregon is navigating uncharted waters in the recruiting river. The past two decades have seen a monumental shift in how the business of college football is undertaken and in the present, few programs are excelling quite like our beloved Ducks.
Gone are the days of “…maybe a solid core of three stars recruits will get us by.” Gone are the days of “…wow, we have a couple of four stars coming!” Gone are the days of “…we’re in the mix for a five star!?!?”
Yes my friends, gone are those days!
One cannot stress the importance of what is transpiring on the Oregon recruiting pond. Pipe dreams have become reality and Eugene’s newest pledge is evidence of a blossoming collegiate superpower. Much has been made of our southern neighbors recent decline and the lengths that Oregon’s coaching staff has gone to plant a green and yellow banner in the heart of Los Angeles.
That banner, now more than ever, waves strongly in the hearts and minds of the west coast’s elite.
The aforementioned southern California prospect plucked from the tree, strong-side defensive lineman Keanu Williams (4-Star/Clovis, CA), further solidified Joe Salave’a’s position group with his commitment this past Saturday.
A junior standing 6’5 and checking in at 295 lbs., Williams fits the mold of an athletic trench defender who can pursue in space when called upon.
His addition to the stable speaks volumes of the point-man (Salave’a) who led his recruitment, beginning with very early interaction in the recruiting cycle.
Defensive lineman Keanu Williams committed to Oregon over USC, UCLA, and Stanford.
“Our relationship is (based around) development and getting better as a person and a player. We both want (for me) to be successful on the field,” said Williams. “He really is going for (my) development as a young man.”
Oregon beat out USC, UCLA, and Stanford for the California-based prep in the latest installment of the Duck’s one-sided recruiting battle with the west coast.
Not to be outdone, however, was head coach Mario Cristobal’s latest incursion into his former SEC stomping grounds. Wide receiver Isaiah Brevard (4-Star/Southaven, MS) had been a long-speculated Oregon lean and made his intentions known on Independence Day choosing Oregon over the likes of Georgia, Texas A&M, and Florida State.
A big body receiver at 6’4, 200 lbs., Brevard will have the ability to become a premier outside threat and take over redzone situations with his size.
Wide receiver Isaiah Brevard added his talents to Oregon’s incoming receiver corps.
Oregon’s count at wide-receiver now stands at three with that of Brevard and fellow commits Troy Franklin (5-Star/Menlo Park, CA) and Kyron Ware-Hudson (4-Star/Santa Ana, CA).
The long-standing saga that is 2020 No. 1 overall prospect Korey Foreman (5-Star/Corona, CA) continues to develop with his recent announcement that includes seven programs he will be considering moving forward.
Taking on the who’s who of college football (Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Howard, and USC), Oregon appears to be very much in the mix due to both obvious and below-the-surface wrinkles.
Foreman has long been linked with fellow defensive line blue chipper Maason Smith (5-Star/Houma, LA) and the pair have been said to be a package deal under the right circumstances. What’s of note particularly concerning Smith is how Oregon has entered the fold and appears to be commanding attention from the southeastern-based prospect. Prior to Foreman’s decommitment from Clemson early this year, Smith was not known to be seriously considering Oregon.
Maason Smith prepares for a junior season playoff appearance.
That appears to have changed given the presence of Oregon in Smith’s recent Twitter announcement highlighting his program interests heading into the fall. Smith has not yet been to Oregon, but the aforementioned Foreman had much to say about his time in Eugene.
“That was an amazing trip,” said Foreman. “I went with some of my teammates and we all had a great time. I visited before so I knew what to expect. When we came out of the elevator, I told my guys, ‘it’s about to get really loud’ and as soon as the doors opened, the whole staff was there screaming and yelling.”
Smith’s recent Twitter musings indicate that his eventual decision will be coming sooner than later. Expect Foreman to concurrently announce his program of choice, or very soon after, stay tuned!
Mark Flores
Salem, OR
Top Photo Credit: Kevin Cline
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.