Taking a Closer Look at Oregon WR Commit Tyseer Denmark
Oregon Football's 2024 recruiting class is already off to a great start following National Signing Day last week.
Dan Lanning has five verbal commits in the fold, which is No. 8 nationally according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.
One of the top players in the class is Philadelphia (Penn.) Roman Catholic High School wide receiver Tyseer Denmark.
Compared to fellow Oregon wide receiver commit Jordan Anderson, who last week announced a transfer ahead of his senior season, he's a bit of a lesser-known name out west.
I was able to connect with Roman Catholic Head Coach Rick Prete to learn more about Denmark and what kind of player the Ducks are getting.
Philadelphia isn't an area Oregon has recruited heavily in recent years. The last player they signed from the City of Brotherly Love was Justin Johnson, an offensive lineman in the 2018 class who medically retired in 2019.
Johnson wasn't necessarily a high-profile recruit at three stars (0.8567 per 247Sports Composite), but that's hardly the case with Denmark, who's ranked the No. 14 wide receiver in the country and the No. 2 player in his state. He has 32 reported offers including the likes of Georgia, Michigan and Ole Miss among others.
READ MORE: Adrian Klemm leaving Oregon to join New England Patriots
Make no mistake about it, Denmark is THE name to know in Pennsylvania high school football. This is a player that coaches knew was going to be special even in the eighth grade.
As a junior in 2022, he hauled in 53 passes for 892 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. He did that despite the Cahillites having two 1,000-yard rushers on their squad.
Denmark doesn't blow you away from a physical standpoint, measuring in at 5'11", 180 pounds. That's not to say he's undersized, but he's no DK Metcalf.
He's special for a number of reasons, which we'll get in to now.
1. Route running
Denmark is swift and decisive in his movements and his coach said he was the best route runner on his team even as a young freshman during the 2020 COVID season.
He's a player who understands the in's and out's of route running and that shows up repeatedly on the tape with his ability to get open and how easily he creates separation between him and his defender.
2. Playmaking ability
This is one trait that's perhaps the easiest to see. Roman Catholic runs an RPO-heavy offense, but the team still makes sure to get Denmark plenty of touches. He's the volume guy in their offense and routinely turns screen passes and underneath routes into long gains.
He's shifty, has good short area burst and is difficult to bring down. He's going to get every yard he can and also displays his playmaking ability in the return game. Demark doesn't have game-breaking speed per se, but he's by no means slow.
The Philadelphia product probably plays more east to west than you'd like to see, but that's something you can get away with in high school when the talent gap is much more noticeable than in college.
3. Ball skills
Coach Prete described Denmark's hands as "ridiculous" and his ball skills are very strong. Whether he's tracking the ball in the air, reeling in an over-the-shoulder catch or maintaining possession through traffic, he's a do-it-all guy.
His ball skills also show up on the 7-on-7 circuit in the form of acrobatic one-handed grabs. Of course those reps aren't as valuable as game reps, but a lot of his offers came from tournament play as a young freshman. That backs up that he's been a high-level player from a young age.
READ MORE: Is Oregon finished recruiting in the 2023 class?
Recruiting notes
Denmark chose the Ducks from a top three that also included Penn State, Ohio State, as Buckeyes offensive coordinator Brian Hartline is one of the big names including Alabama's Nick Saban that Junior Adams was competing against on the recruiting trail for Denmark's commitment.
Only time will tell if he'll ultimately sign with the Ducks, and as such he's a major prospect the staff will need to continue recruiting. Junior Adams flew out to Philadelphia a few weeks ago to see Denmark, so the team is checking that box. The 2024 Oregon wide receiver pledge was also on campus in the fall for an unofficial visit.
READ MORE: Elite 2024 CB Dakoda Fields liking Oregon as recruitment explodes
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