Michael Van Buren, Priority Oregon QB Target, Sets Commitment Date
2024 Baltimore (MD) St. Frances Academy quarterback Michael Van Buren is nearing a decision. He has set a commitment date of July 8, according to Brian Dohn of 247Sports. Van Buren is a top target for Oregon’s 2024 class and a big domino at the position.
Oregon’s 2023 class saw a dip into the DMV area for cornerback Colin Gill from St. John's College High School.
Van Buren checks in as a top-150 player in the 2024 class and the No. 11 quarterback in the class according to the 247Sports Composite. The schools with the best chance at gaining Van Buren’s pledge are Maryland, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Penn State.
However, he's working from a top eight of Oregon, Penn State, Miami, Oklahoma, Maryland, Wisconsin, Wisconsin, Virginia Tech and Cincinatti.
Oklahoma has likely dropped out after landing a commitment from 2024 McKinney (Tex.) Frisco Emerson quarterback Michael Hawkins on Friday.
For Oregon, they'll get another chance to make a strong impression soon, as Dohn reports Van Buren is expected back in Eugene for another visit next weekend. He last visited back in January.
Van Buren isn’t the only quarterback target expected to be in town soon, as rising three-star Luke Moga will also be in town.
Moga is ranked the No. 33 quarterback and the No. 12 recruit in Arizona. He would definitely get my prediction as things sit currently, to become a Duck.
Who else is Oregon currently looking at?
There are a few other prospects who are getting looks from Oregon right now, including Dylan Raiola, Elijah Brown, Will Hammond, and Trey Petty.
Ranked the top player in the 2024 class, Dylan Raiola is still considering Oregon, but there's been some chatter that he may have cancelled his spring game visit. At this time it appears to be a three-team race vying for Raiola’s commitment, between Georgia, Nebraska, and USC.
My current guess would be Nebraska because his dad is a Husker legend and Matt Rhule’s team has a lot of momentum on the recruiting trail.
Another top passer Oregon is in the running for is four-Star Elijah Brown of Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei. Brown has started at Mater Dei since he was a freshman, and if it weren’t for his slight stature, he'd probably be a five-star.
There are genuine concerns about his size, just like Bryce Young in this year's NFL Draft. Due to this, several teams have backed off of their pursuit for Elijah, leaving his recruitment a bit unclear. My feel on some of the top teams are USC, Stanford, Arizona State, and Arizona. I would predict in the end he chooses either Stanford or Arizona State.
The last prospect on the list is Starkville, Mississippi’s Trey Petty. Petty is currently a three-star and a top-50 quarterback in the class. Oregon would likely only take Petty’s commitment given a big year, or a potential backup/ walk-on.
Despite this, Oregon has stayed in contact with Petty and has been no stranger over the past two cycles to reaching into the state of Mississippi, landing current freshman Dante Dowdell, and pushing hard for 2024 five-star edge rusher Jamonta Walker. My prediction would be Mississippi State.
Another name to note is current Texas Tech commit, Will Hammond. This coaching staff, primarily new OC Will Stein, seems to favor dual-threat quarterbacks and Hammond is no exception. Hammond logged 728 yards on the ground and nine touchdowns this past season.
Hammond is definitely the most quiet addition to this list and wouldn’t be here without Will Stein and his connections to Texas.
Hammond’s recruitment has somewhat blown up this year with offers from P5 programs, especially Big 12 and SEC. I'd expect for Tech to hold on at least for now, but keep him on your radar for one of the biggest risers in the class.
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