Top 10 2022 Oregon Recruits to Monitor as National Signing Day Approaches
The 2022 recruiting cycle has been a hectic one for the Oregon Ducks. In the summer, it looked like the Ducks were on their way to an all-time class with commits from the biggest hotbeds of talent in the country, from Southern California to Texas, even reaching as far east as Alabama-- which furthered the point that Oregon can recruit with the sports most prestigious programs.
But after Mario Cristobal shocked the college football world by leaving Oregon to take the head coaching gig at his alma mater, Miami, more dominos would soon fall, and quickly. After Cristobal was officially announced as the next head coach of the Hurricanes, 10 verbal pledges de-committed from the Ducks in December, and two more have moved on in January.
While the bulk of Oregon's class has signed with other programs, there is still a solid class in place set to join an already-talented roster currently in Eugene. Dan Lanning and his staff have done an impressive job keeping players in Eugene and signing them during the early signing period, but now that National Signing Day is in the forefront, finishing strong in this class is the top priority.
Here are the top 10 players that should be at the top of Oregon's list:
1. CB Jahlil Florence (San Diego, Calif.)
Jahlil Florence has been perched atop this list since the day he de-committed from Oregon. Thankfully for Dan Lanning and the new staff, he has remained interested in the Ducks and even has them in his top two schools, along with USC.
The Ducks could use some reinforcements in the defensive backfield, and with the new coaching staff already connecting with him, and his teammate Jalil Tucker already signed to Oregon, the Ducks should feel comfortable about their chances. The Ducks also have new Cornerbacks Coach Demetrice Martin on staff, whose roots run deep in Southern California and who's made it a priority to spend time with Florence and build that relationship.
Florence is set to announce his decision on Monday.
2. OL Dave Iuli (Puyallup, Wash.)
Dave Iuli is another former Oregon commit that the Ducks would love to bring back. The Puyallup, Wash. native recently visited Miami and still has interest in Oregon and USC.
Iuli told Ducks Digest that his primary reason for committing to Oregon was former Offensive Line Coach Alex Mirabal, who is now at Miami. He also said he prioritized staying close to family, and Coral Gables is more than 3,000 miles away from Puyallup. That would make Eugene the more practical destination, but we've learned you can never count out Alex Mirabal for offensive line talent, and Mario Cristobal for that matter with any recruit period--look no further than Cyrus Moss, who got on campus just before the early signing period before ultimately ending up becoming a Cane.
It may be a tall hill for the Ducks to climb with Iuli, but they could use some young depth along the offensive line.
3. ATH Arlis Boardingham (Van Nuys, Calif.)
There are few pass catchers in the 2022 class remaining that have the size and talent of Arlis Boardingham. He told Ducks Digest that Kenny Dillingham was recruiting him to be a tight end and spread him out wide, and at 6'5" and 230 pounds running a 10.9 in the 100-meter, he'd be a matchup nightmare any offense would love to deploy on Saturday's.
Boardingham heads to Oregon this weekend for his official visit and will decide between the Ducks and the Florida Gators in what at the moment is looking like a true 50/50 battle. It's obviously beneficial to have the chance at making the last impression and a solid visit could greatly increase Oregon's chances. Also, it's a somewhat rare situation for the Ducks to have distance on their side here.
4. CB Jaelyn Davis-Robinson (Waxahachie, Tex.)
The Ducks need bodies at the cornerback position, and Jaelyn Davis-Robinson pops off the screen on film. He plays aggressively, has great size (6-foot, 180 pounds), and elite speed (10.5 in 100m). Oregon will have some underclassmen earning playing time at corner next season, and Davis-Robinson is a player that could contribute right away.
Oregon had him on campus for an official visit last weekend and knocked it out of the park. LSU offered this week and clearly has his attention as he's heading to Baton Rouge this weekend for his final visit. The Ducks stopped by his school on Thursday, getting some more time with him, showing how important he is for this class.
Mark JDR as a prime candidate to add to Oregon's 2022 class.
5. LB Emar'rion Winston (Portland, Ore.)
Securing the top talent in your home state is crucial. Emar'rion Winston, the No. 3 player in Oregon (according to 247 Sports Composite) and the younger brother of former Ducks linebacker La'Mar Winston Jr., de-committed from Oregon in December but will make an official visit to Eugene this weekend.
The Ducks don't have a glaring need at linebacker, but locking down the best players in your home state, especially for a new coaching staff, is crucial. Furthermore, Dan Lanning and Don Johnson stopped by to see him on an in-home visit recently, showing that the Ducks are pulling out all the stops to get him back on board.
6. RB Jordan James (Murfreesboro, Tenn.)
Jordan James is currently committed to Georgia but has not signed with the Bulldogs. He took an official visit to Oregon this past weekend and had Running Backs Coach Carlos Locklyn visit him at home in Tennessee this week following the trip to try and close the deal.
Seeing that he isn't signed, this definitely leaves the door open for the Ducks to land him after getting him on campus, and obviously his relationship with Dan Lanning will be key here. Can Lanning convince the Bulldog commit to jump to Eugene? The Ducks could use another young running back after the shuffling that has occurred at the position this month.
7. OL Josh Conerly Jr. (Seattle, Wash.)
This one may be a long shot, as Oregon is a finalist along with Washington, USC, Michigan, Miami and Oklahoma, but Conerly is the top unsigned offensive linemen left on the board. Conerly last visited Oregon in late November when the Ducks hosted a slew of prospects for their regular season finale against Oregon State.
Conerly is a recruit that is talented enough to push his recruitment past the traditional deadlines, as he likely has a spot on the roster at any one of his finalists. There's no doubt that he's a top priority for new Offensive Line Coach Adrian Klemm along with Iuli. He's headed to Miami for a visit this weekend, and we know Mirabal and Cristobal will pull out all the stops for him.
*Read more: Josh Conerly Jr. breaks down Oregon visit*
8. RB Andrew Paul (Dallas, Tex.)
One of the most underrated running backs in the 2022 class, Andrew Paul received an offer from Oregon this month and already got an in-home visit from Dan Lanning and Carlos Locklyn. The Dallas back has taken recent visits to Colorado, Michigan and Clemson.
Paul rushed for an astounding 2,612 yards and 41 touchdowns last season. If the Ducks aren't able to flip James from Georgia, Paul is just as good of an option if not better at tailback.
There was an effort to get Paul on campus this weekend for a visit, but he's not expected to make it out to Eugene before his commitment. A recent offer from Georgia for Paul and the apparent momentum the Ducks have picked up for James could play into the reasoning there.
9. DL Christen Miller (Ellenwood, Ga.)
Christen Miller was a player that the previous staff had recruited, and the Ducks are back in the race after Dan Lanning and crew took over. Lanning was one of Miller's lead recruiters while he was at Georgia, even visiting him in his home in Georgia shortly before taking the Oregon job.
Miller took an official visit to Oregon two weeks ago and has since visited Florida A&M and recently received an in-home visit from Mario Cristobal and Joe Salave'a. The Ducks appear to be on the outside looking with Georgia being fresh off a national championship and Miller being a priority in-state recruit. But the Dan Lanning factor is clearly in play here.
10. DB Khamari Terrell (Killeen, Tex.)
Khamari Terrell is a 6-foot-1, 180-pound defensive back that can play safety or corner. The Ducks offered him in early January and brought him to Eugene this past weekend for an official visit. Oregon would love to gain ground in the state of Texas after losing its talented bunch of commits from the Lone Star State.
Terrell's versatility means that he can find a spot wherever the Ducks may need him in the secondary. He has been visited by Alabama and USC and has received recent offers from Florida, Missouri, Clemson.
*Update: Terrell has committed to Oregon*
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