The Latest With Oregon and Cooper Perry
Oregon is coming off a massive recruiting weekend during their 36-27 victory over the USC Trojans.
One of their big visitors on campus was 2025 Scottsdale (Ariz.) Notre Dame Preparatory wide receiver Cooper Perry, who's ranked the No. 1 player in his state.
Perry spoke with Ducks Digest about the trip and the latest in his recruitment.
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound pass catcher was one of a handful of recruits from the Grand Canyon State in town and spending time with them was a major highlight.
“Honestly just being with the AZ kids. Being with Luke (Moga), Rylon (Dillard-Allen), Tony (Cumberland)," he said. "It was a fun time."
Seeing Autzen Stadium ignite for "Shout" at the end of the third quarter is a hit with many recruits and Perry was no exception.
“Everybody was just bumping. It was crazy. Everybody was singing it," he said. "I feel like my seats were vibrating a little bit. It was just awesome to be there and see all the fans and see how much love they have for the program and where it’s going.”
Perry has been to Eugene before and has built strong connections with the Oregon staff.
“Coach Kamran Araghi recruits AZ very heavily. He actually went to my high school. He’s really like family with me, so I love him," he said. "Coach Junior Adams, I think he’s one of the best receiver coaches in the country. Just being able to be in meetings with him and be in meetings with Troy and Tez and seeing them go crazy against USC was awesome.”
It's clear that Oregon has established themselves as a major contender in his recruitment.
“I mean, it’s just awesome. I have nothing but great things to say after that visit. Just seeing what I could potentially be doing in that offense and how I could make an impact and make plays on the field was just really cool to see.
"Definitely just how explosive that offense is what really stood out to me. And then the atmosphere too, the atmosphere was crazy. Especially the first night game in Autzen, I was glad I could be there for that. It was just an unreal experience."
Aside from Oregon, Arizona's top player is drawing plenty of interest from schools across the country and highlighted the programs recruiting him the hardest.
“I would say Ole Miss, ASU (Arizona State), Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Utah, Washington, Kentucky. And U of A of course, Arizona," Perry said. "I would say those schools are making a big push and making me feel like a priority."
The Ducks are also in that group and Perry said they're "high" on his list.
Moving forward Perry has a couple of schools he'd like to visit.
“I think I’m gonna get out out Ole Miss pretty soon. That’s probably the next one that’s coming up I would say. And obviously ASU, the in-state, I’m actually going to the game this week, ASU-Oregon, so I’ll see Oregon back-to-back weeks.”
Despite generating a lot of buzz early in his recruitment, it doesn't sound like he's nearing a decision.
“I’m just gonna play it by ear and see how it goes. I’m just gonna stay patient and if the time comes, if I feel good about something then I’ll make the decision. But my thought process is I want to weigh all my options, see all the schools I’m interested in and then make my decision.”
His recruitment has recently taken him to Notre Dame, the Arizona schools and Oregon, and as he takes more trips he'll be working from a specific criteria.
“I would say how well I fit the scheme in the offense," he said of what he's looking for. "Being able to come in and compete as a freshman and get the starting job as a freshman, working for and earning it. And then I would just say the culture and the coaches and building a great relationship."
