Kevin Cline
Football Recruiting
Commitments
Saturday, Oregon solidified a “Decade of Dominance” over its northern rival behind a Heisman-leading performance from quarterback Marcus Mariota. Off the field, the Ducks’ resounding win produced a commitment from one of the top wide outs in the class of 2014 – route-runner Jalen Brown (4-Star/Phoenix, AZ/Rivals250).
QB Morgan Mahalak (3-Star/Kentfield, CA) wished his newest teammate, WR Jalen Brown (4-Star/Phoenix, AZ/Rivals250) “Welcome” via Twitter.
A 6-foot-2, 183 pound, jack-of-all-trades, Brown beats defenders with myriad talents. Built for speed (4.5/40), Brown’s hands in traffic and ability to find yards after the catch make him an ideal fit for the Oregon Blur. After Brown made his decision public via his Twitter feed, fellow Oregon QB commit Morgan Mahalak (3-Star/Kentfield, CA) was quick to wish his future teammate and receiver corps target a welcome to the Oregon family.
Slated for early graduation, Brown will enroll at Oregon in the spring, where early participation in team activities could go a long way in his quest to make an early impact in the Ducks’ offensive attack.
News
It’s no secret that heralded preps flock to watch the Ducks on any given Saturday. With northern rumblings over the last few seasons, Oregon’s border war battle for Northwest recruits reached a fever pitch with several key preps heading to Seattle over the weekend – none bigger than top-10 safety Budda Baker (4-Star/Bellevue, WA/Rivals100), who came away in awe of Oregon’s secondary.
“It was real fun to see Oregon in person,” said Baker. ”I can definitely see myself there. I kept a good eye on Terrance Mitchell the whole game. He was looking nice out there. Coach (John) Neal plays a lot of man-to-man, I like that.”
In the midst of his final prep season, Baker’s 5-foot-11, 178 pound frame has been a terror to opposing receivers seeing the vaunted defensive back lead his team to an early 6-0 mark.
Expect Baker to quack following the conclusion of his storied high school career.
Baker’s teammate, dual-role lineman Henry Roberts (NR/Bellevue, WA) was also in attendance to watch the Ducks hit the decade mark.
“I really like (Oregon’s) style of play,” said Roberts. “I love how they use the offensive tackles in their offense. Just seeing the speed and intensity they play with is impressive.”
While only a junior, Roberts, at 6-foot-6, 255 pounds, is already a top prospect on both sides of the trenches as a result of unique athleticism and a killer instinct to disrupt opposing offenses. Roberts’ interest in the Ducks will only increase as he is recruited by both line coaches Steve Greatwood and Ron Aiken. Stay tuned!
For up to the minute recruiting news, please visit our friends at DUCK TERRITORY, who graciously provide FISHDUCK with in-depth analysis and player-generated material. Look for my latest recruiting update every Wednesday. WTD!!!
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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.