Reid's Rundown: Oregon Makes Top Three for 2022 WR Darrius Clemons
The Ducks made the cut for Darrius Clemons’ final three on Sunday following his visit to Eugene this weekend. Clemons listed Oregon alongside Penn State and Auburn to round out his finalists.
The development is a clear positive for Oregon, confirming a successful trip to Eugene. It also marks the continuation of the staff’s effort to lock down the borders of Oregon and keep in-state talent home. The Ducks already hold commitments from Oregon preps Emar’rion Winston and Trejon Williams in the 2022 class.
Clemons took visits to all three of his finalists in June, but it's notable that he made two trips to nearby Eugene from his hometown of Portland.
Each program offers something unique coming from different geographic areas and conference alignments, but all of them have established strong football brands. Right now, it’s too early to make a definitive prediction on where the blue chip receiver will end up. Clemons made a point to visit each school and that shows his interest is serious. I could see any of the three being his final choice come signing day.
The Ducks' inclusion among Clemons’ final group also confirms his place near the top of Oregon’s wide receiver board. Right now, the 2022 class already has three commitments at wide receiver. That means there’s mostly only one or two spots remaining in the position group this cycle.
The top two targets for Oregon appear to be Tetairoa McMillan and Kevin Coleman. Coleman made the trip to Eugene for SNL but did not participate in the camp portion of the event. McMillan did not make the trip for SNL, but Oregon is in serious contention for his commitment along with Arizona and USC following an official visit to Oregon in June.
Read more: Q&A with Tetairoa McMillan the Opening (Early July)
To summarize, the Ducks should be satisfied with their 2022 receiver haul if they add one more elite player from the group of Coleman, McMillan, and Clemons. As things stand now, I think adding one from that elite trio is the most likely scenario for the Ducks, but I’m not completely sure which player it will be. Oregon could potentially make room for a second player from that group if there was interest, simply because they are so talented.
The SNL event was also a positive step for Oregon’s future recruiting at wide receiver as a whole. The Ducks were able to bring in a lot of highly regarded pass catchers and most of them did not disappoint. 4-star 2023 WR Jurrion Dickey out of Valley Christian in San Jose, CA was very impressive in one-on-one drills and looks to be an early target for next cycle.
5-star WR DeAndre Moore Jr. from Desert Pines in Las Vegas, NV was another HUGE name in attendance on Saturday. Overall the group looked good and from the sidelines this event seemed to accomplish its goal of gathering a bunch of talented players on campus, making in-person evaluations, and building a connection with important recruiting targets early in their high school careers.
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