Dakoda Fields Liking Oregon as Recruitment Explodes
The class of 2024 is now on the clock following National Signing Day earlier this week.
Oregon has made 2024 Gardena (Calif.) Junipero Serra cornerback Dakoda Fields a main priority, but the talented defensive back has been reeling in some serious offers since his junior season was cut short by an injury.
Alabama, Ohio State, Tennessee, and now Georgia have all hopped in the mix.
"It's a dream come true because I feel like I wasn't getting recruited as hard as I was after my sophomore year," Fields said about the buzz he's generating on the recruiting trail. "Once the winter started my recruitment started to pick back up so I'm really proud of myself for that."
His most recent trip took him up to the Pacific Northwest for a chance to see the Washington Huskies.
"I love the coaches. I love the stadium, the fans," Fields said of the Washington program. "The fans show a lot of love on Twitter, all social media, so I love that. The facilities are pretty nice."
READ MORE: Is Oregon finished recruiting in the 2023 class?
Some highlights of the trip including touring the campus with Kalen DeBoer and sitting down defensive backs coach Julius Brown.
"He (Brown) also showed me a four-year plan of what it would be like if I went there," he said. "My freshman year he had a set of goals of what he wanted me to hit and if I hit those goals it'll lead me towards winning that Jim Thorpe Award which will lead me to a high draft pick."
Dakoda Fields (right) with 2023 Oregon CB signee Daylen Austin during a Ducks football game in Eugene.
Scott Boldt/Ducks Digest
The 6-foot-2, 175-pound defensive back has also taken recent trips to Arizona State and Miami. The dead period rules out any trips this month, but he's eying some trips when things open back up.
"Couple of ones that I would like to take is Ohio State, LSU, Alabama, Georgia and Tennesse," Fields said. "Cause I haven't been up there yet and I feel like a couple of those might be officials that I take during the season so I feel like I need to get up there and take an unofficial before I want to make it an official."
What's the draw with some of those big-time programs?
"I feel like it's development and it'll be the easiest way to get me to the league. The competitiveness in the SEC is really great and the BIG 10, so I feel like those would really fit me. I like the Pac-12 too but it's more schools in the SEC and BIG 10 that I feel like would get me to the league."
READ MORE: Top 2024 Oregon commit Jordan Anderson announces transfer
Oregon has consistently remained in the mix and another trip to Eugene could be in the works.
"I actually talked to Coach Tosh (Lupoi) about a week ago. Coach (Dan) Lanning and Coach Meat (Demetrice Martin) came up here for a home visit," Fields said."They want to know the next time I could come up. So it's probably gonna be early March right after the dead period, maybe couple spring practices, maybe the spring game too."
Dakoda Fields pulls on Oregon gloves ahead of a game against Long Beach Poly.
Max Torres/Ducks Digest
After landing multiple offers from blue blood programs, the Ducks are still a top choice for Fields.
"I feel like Oregon is still a school that's in my top five," he said. "They're one of the good Pac-12 schools that can compete with SEC and BIG 10. I feel like they'll stay in the top five for me throughout my whole recruiting process."
The Southern California standout isn't nearing a decision, but he has an idea of when he'd like to commit, and it revolves around his official visit schedule.
"I feel like it'll be something that happens maybe towards the end of the season. Most of my officials I feel like I want to take them during the season so I can see how game days go and all that."
Having already taken a number of trips across the country, one of the top prospects in 2024 knows what he's looking for.
"Relationships with the coaches, what they can offer for me after football," he said. "Life after football really. I don't want it to just be a school where they're just gonna develop me in sports, but also as a human being."
READ MORE: Oregon a recruiting heavyweight in Southern California
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