2024 Wide Receiver Gatlin Bair Gives the Latest as Decision Looms
There are only a select number of players at the Adidas All-American Bowl this week that have yet to commit to a school. One of those players is Burley (ID) wide receiver Gatlin Bair, who spoke with Ducks Digest about the latest in his recruitment.
Nearly everyone who's heard of Bair knows he's one of the fastest athletes in the entire country, but he's hoping to open more eyes with his technique this week.
"I'm hoping to prove I'm better than everybody thinks leading up to this," he said. "I think everybody knows I'm pretty athletic with my track times and my numbers and things like that, but just trying to prove that I'm a great route runner and I can play the position really well too. I think that I can really open some people's eyes to how good of a receiver I am not just an athlete."
The 6-foot-2, 195-pound wideout is the top remaining target for Dan Lanning and Oregon in the 2024 recruiting class and reflected on what it's been like being recruited by the Ducks.
"It's been awesome. I really like all those guys," Bair said. "Coach Lanning and Junior are two incredible guys. I think they do an incredible job and they're going to continue to do an incredible job. I think Oregon's going to continue to get better and better.
"They're recruiting interior guys at a high level, defensive guys at a high level to be able to play in the Big Ten. Just having more athletes is really what they're looking for. I really like those guys."
Troy Franklin and Tez Johnson just finished record-setting seasons with the Ducks and for Bair, playing in Will Stein's offense is part of what makes the school such an intriguing option.
"Their offense is one that looks really enjoyable to play in. Two thousand yard receivers and I think they're gonna continue to produce guys like that year in and year out. Coach [Junior] Adams has a track record of putting guys in the NFL and guys doing a really good job in the NFL, so that's a really big thing for me from Oregon is how the offense is the run and how well their receivers do in that offense."
Bair has built a strong relationship with head coach Dan Lanning dating back to his most recent trip to Eugene in November for the USC game.
"I love Coach Lanning. Just talking to him, he's really down to earth and he's not like [an] old school coach I guess. He's pretty innovative in what he does and I think that fits really well at the University of Oregon, it's a very innovative program. I have a great relationship with him and I've got to visit with him numerous times and I just really like him and I think he's a great guy."
The All-American playmaker is down to a final two of Oregon and Michigan and spoke about the story with him and the Wolverines, who will face Washington for the national championship on Monday.
"I think Michigan does an incredible job developing players---every position, just in the weight room and developing them physically and getting them ready to play football.
"The question mark right now is kind of what's going on with Coach [Jim] Harbaugh," Bair said. "Regardless of what happens with Coach Harbaugh, Coach [Sherrone] Moore has done a phenomenal job when he's stepped in and coached. I can't really speak on---I don't know what's gonna happen there. From what Coach Harbaugh says I don't think he wants to leave. There's obviously all kinds of speculation, things like that. I'm not gonna speculate. I'm gonna go based off of what he told me so we'll see what happens there."
The speedster plans to sign his national letter of intent next month before beginning a two-year mission.
"I've just been focused on the All-American Bowl right now, getting ready for that. After I'll really sit down and try to make a decision and then sign in February."
It sounds like there's at least one big factor that will carry a lot of weight in his final decision.
"A lot of it will come down to what Coach Harbaugh does before I can make an accurate decision. You have to all the information before and then at that point, if nothing happens there then I'll kind of just continue to--I have a great relationship with everyone, so it just kind of comes down to what it is that I feel like will be best for my future."
