Commitment Analysis: Oregon Adds Traeshon Holden and Jestin Jacobs From Transfer Portal

Breaking down Oregon football's two newest commitments.

Author:
Max Torres
Publish date:
Dec 13, 2022 5:25 PM EST

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Oregon Ducks

The Oregon Ducks built some big recruiting momentum over the weekend when they landed commitments from Alabama transfer wide receiver Traeshon Holden and Iowa linebacker transfer Jestin Jacobs, who were both on campus for visits.

The staff is clearly moving quickly in the portal and looks poised to leverage it to address needs on this roster ahead of the 2023 season.

Let's take a closer look at what the Ducks are getting in each player.

Traeshon Holden

I really like this pickup for the Ducks and it's one that makes a lot of sense. I spoke to Holden when he was coming out of Harbor City (Calif.) Narbonne High School and he was very interested in Oregon. There was clear mutual interest here and this one got wrapped up very quickly.

As for the fit, it seems like a no brainer. The Ducks are poised to lose at least three wide receivers with Dont'e Thornton and Seven McGee in the transfer portal and Chase Cota exhausting his collegiate eligibility as the team's No. 3 wide receiver.

Holden has good size at 6'3" 214 pounds, which the Ducks lost with Thornton and Cota's departure. When I watch Holden's tape I like his ability to make plays in open space and make defenders miss. He's also got a big catch radius due to his size and he can make contested catches in traffic. 25 catches for 225 yards and and six touchdowns aren't numbers that will blow you away but it's still solid production.

A member of the 2020 recruiting class, he was a redshirt sophomore this year so he should have at least two years of eligibility. Add him to a 2023 wide receiver haul that includes Jurrion Dickey and Ashton Cozart and the Ducks are stocking up on playmakers for next season to play alongside Troy Franklin and Kris Hutson, who are both coming off their best college seasons.

Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman wide receiver Trech Kekahuna is also a big name to monitor as the former Wisconsin commit was in Eugene for a visit over the weekend.

Jestin Jacobs

When it comes to Jacobs, he's a name that tended to get lost in the mix when discussing Iowa linebackers. After all, the Hawkeyes also had first-team AP All-American Jack Campbell on the roster as well.

Jacobs is a really talented get for the Ducks. Despite playing in just two games this season due to injury, he was a name Oregon prioritized out of the portal, and for good reason.

If there's one thing Oregon's defense struggled with this year it was defending the pass. Nearly every opponent they faced was able to move the ball at will through the air.

The secondary had its own issues, but the middle of the field was also a tough spot for Oregon's linebackers to defend.

Listed at 6'4", 238 pounds, Jacobs is a larger linebacker that moves really well. Elite athleticism combined with fluid hips make him one of the more effective coverage linebackers you'll find in college football, which should be music to Oregon fans ears.

Noah Sewell has shined for the Ducks at inside linebacker but throughout his college career he's been consistently been knocked for his lapses in coverage. He's yet to announce his plans for 2023, but if he does go to the NFL next season Jacobs projects to slide in and play right away.

Jacobs will also bring physicality to the Oregon defense as it's one of his top traits--whether he's getting involved in defending the run or engaging with wide receivers and tight ends off the line of scrimmage.

Jacobs' coverage ability and mobility are his two biggest assets and he's a fantastic addition for Dan Lanning and Tosh Lupoi.

PREDICTION: Oregon poised to land key 2023 recruit

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