There’s always tons of hype surrounding football recruits out of Texas. It’s the mecca of high school football and has consistently produced an elite level of talent. As Oregon has emerged as a national title contender year in and year out, they’re finding themselves on the hot-lists of these kinds of highly touted recruits. Some of these players have turned out great: Josh Huff, Darron Thomas, LaMichael James. Others however, have struggled mightily: Anthony Wallace, Lache Seastrunk (ugh).
Torrodney Prevot is the most recent stud out of Texas to sign the dotted line for the Ducks. He headlines this recruiting class alongside Thomas Tyner as a defensive line standout. Prevot comes to us from Houston where he played for the Alief Taylor High School Lions. As a junior he earned All-State honorable mention recognition, and as a senior he earned it again along with an All-Houston 2nd team award and an invitation to the 2013 U.S. Army All-American Game. Believe it or not, Prevot was one of three defensive ends from his high school alone to earn a Division 1 scholarship.
Throughout his high school career he accumulated quite the stat line. In 2011 alone he had 53 tackles (20 for loss) and 12 quarterback sacks. While none of his total senior season stats are available to the public, he did have one newsworthy game in which he had 10 tackles, 4 sacks, a forced fumble, an interception, and 2 defensive touchdowns. It’s safe to say his numbers didn’t fall off whatsoever during his senior campaign.
Believe it or not, Prevot initially committed to USC during the 2012 summer. Then, as more and more elite schools closed in on him (Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Oregon), he decided to re-open his decision process and take a couple visits. The rest is history.
Here are some of his high school highlights:
So what kind of player is he? And what exactly can he do for Oregon?
At a very athletic 6’4″ 210 lb. build, he is extremely explosive off the line. Recruiting services have raved over his ground technique and ability to get into the backfield. At the same time, however, they dock Prevot some points due to his lack of strength and sizeable weight. It is rumored that he has already
taken his weight near the 220lb. range, but we’ll have to wait and see come fall camp.
Prevot is without a doubt a pass rushing specialist. He can blow by offensive linemen within the blink of an eye and has great disruptive tendencies. Prevot has also demonstrated quite the spin and swim move on smaller offensive tackles, and when he does get stuffed at the line, he has solid quarterback awareness and can either chase down a scramble, or bat down a low ball with his impressive vertical leap and wingspan. Given that his weakness is his weight and strength, he does experience some difficulty moving inside of the line and stuffing up the running lanes.
As far as a former Duck comparison, it is hard to compare Prevot to just one guy. This is due to the fact that he is destined to play DE, but fits the mold as an OLB. Assuming he can beef up to somewhere between 230-240 lbs., it’s knowledgeable to compare him to both Kenny Rowe and Josh Kaddu. Kenny Rowe was famous for getting around the outside and simply crushing the quarterback, while Josh Kaddu made plays with his between-the-tackle blitzes that denied an offense’s chance at a run play over a couple yards. So perhaps it’s the tenacity and range of Kaddu and the technique and speed of Rowe that makes Prevot (cross your fingers) the perfect package.
Here is Torrodney on his decision process:
Torrodney Prevot is no doubt a stellar football player and an outstanding athlete, but maybe he stands for something more; something greater than a stat line. Perhaps he signifies what Oregon Duck football has become. Perhaps he signifies that Oregon Duck football is in it for the long haul no matter who’s coaching. Oregon football goes beyond Nike, a gimmicky offense, Chip Kelly. Former greats have paved the way for the last 20 years and all that hard work is beginning to pay off big time. So with sustainable recruiting and the “Win The Day” mantra, the Ducks are here to stay.
120 days. Go Ducks.
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Joe Packer is a sophomore at the University of Oregon, majoring in Journalism. A Portland, Oregon native, he has been an avid Duck fan his whole life, attending his first of countless Duck football games at the age of 2. He played Lacrosse in high school, and today enjoys shooting hoops and a round of golf just about every day. As a player, referee, and youth sports coach, Joe looks to share his diverse perspective on the world of sports. He welcomes your feedback. Follow him on twitter: @JoePa_