Aydin Breland Talks Oregon Interest, Latest in Recruitment

If there's one thing Oregon fans have learned in recent years it's that in order to win you need to dominate the trenches.

This year's offensive line is one of the best in the country and that's resulted in an explosive offense that's capable of scoring 40 points every week. The front seven, while it hasn't been dominant, has given opponents fits with DJ Johnson and Brandon Dorlus harassing quarterbacks.

Oregon is looking to continue adding difference makers to get after the quarterback and Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei defensive lineman Aydin Breeland is just that. Standing at 6'5" weighing 290 pounds, his frame and production have already separated him as one of the Golden State's top prospects.

Ducks Digest caught up with him for the latest in his recruitment.

2024 Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei DE/DL Aydin Breland is one of the top defensive players in the country and already has a national recruitment following recent trips to Texas A&M, Oregon and Oklahoma.

He’s visiting Georgia this weekend. pic.twitter.com/HW60lxZahh
— Max Torres (@mtorressports) November 3, 2022

He's been busy on the recruiting trail of late, taking visits to Oklahoma, Oregon and Texas A&M this fall.

The trip to Eugene was one he'd been wanting to take as he continues to build his relationships with the new coaching staff under Dan Lanning.

"I was originally offered by Mario Cristobal in the seventh grade," Breland said. "They had re-offered me when Oregon came down to watch us practice. I had to get up there because there was a new coaching staff, I'd never really been on a real visit before."

During his visit he got to see the Ducks earn their biggest win of the year over UCLA and reconnect with some friends on the team.

"It was just fun to watch. I know a couple players up there like Kris Hutson, Jaden Navarrette, Keyon Ware-Hudson, Mase Funa."

The facilities will impress anyone, but what caught Breland's attention was the people running the show.

"I really liked the coaching staff right off the bat," he said. "It was real genuine, real cool connection right off the bat it just seemed like family."

Recruits usually have a criteria for what they want in their future home. For Breland, getting to the next level is a big box he'd like schools to check. Fortunately for the Ducks, the staff Lanning has assembled is overflowing with experience.

"Coach Dan Lanning, Tosh Lupoi and Coach (Tony) Tuitoti. Those three. They're like a triple-headed dragon," he said.

"I feel like Coach Tuioti's a really good D-line coach. Nobody's talking about his great feel for the game. Then you have Coach Tosh Lupoi--been to the NFL, coached at Bama, he has all the coaching experience you'll ever need. Dan Lanning, DC at Georgia. They're all defensive coaches from great programs. I feel like if I were to go there I'd be really successful as far as from a development point."

Breland also offered his thoughts on his recent trip to College Station to see Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies.

"That was really fun. It was my first ever SEC game. And that was really fun because the fans--oh my goodness. Like 100,000 people in a stadium, that's crazy," he recalled. "All of them doing the same thing, just chanting. The culture there is amazing. I like the coaching staff they're all cool."

What's next for him on the recruiting trail?

"Headed up to Georgia this weekend for their game against Tennessee. I might be headed up to Tennessee the weekend after. We don't know yet. I might though."

The trip to Athens won't be his first and he's certainly excited to be on campus along with a host of other elite recruits.

"I like Georgia a lot. I love Coach Kirby (Smart). I love the D-line coach, Coach Tre Scott. I just love that whole program," Breland said of the Bulldogs. "I really like the ambiance and the surroundings. I like Athens. I'm excited to be back up there again and go see a game."

His reported offer sheet of 12 schools is sure to grow, as he's hearing the most from a number of schools.

"Oregon, they're always communicating back-and-forth," he said. "USC's been trying to get at me recently. I talk to Georgia all the time. Ohio State just started trying to chip in recently. Oklahoma's on me all the time for sure. At least a message every other day. I talk to Notre Dame pretty frequently. I'm always talking to somebody."

With the clock ticking on the 2023 class as early signing day approaches, he'll soon be in the spotlight with other top 2024 recruits and he's looking for a family feel among other things.

"I feel like the family feel is really important and I feel like I have to see myself going there. I don't want to just be stuck somewhere where I don't like the environment at all and there's nothing to do or anything like that. I gotta make sure I'm getting developed right."

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