Torres' Take: The Latest in Oregon Football Recruiting
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The spring game is next weekend, which means Oregon will host its most impressive group of visitors all year. The only weekend that comes close to matching that level of talent is the Saturday night live camp, typically held every year in Eugene at the end of July.
All eyes are on next weekend and the potential for some serious fireworks, but there's plenty to talk about this weekend. Here are some of my thoughts and what I'm hearing on top Oregon targets.
Gary Bryant Jr.
The USC wide receiver transfer has set a commitment date for May 13 and the Ducks continue to be in a good spot. Based on what I've been hearing and the conversations I've had with sources close to the program, Oregon still looks like the team to beat.
Texas A&M is staying involved and is viewed as the main threat, with Miami looking like the number three team right now.
The interesting things about Bryant is this. Let's assume he does commit to Oregon, who does he displace? I've been hearing that Traeshon Holden has been looking really good and Tez Johnson has a gear that no one else in that room has. Maybe the Ducks are a bit lower on numbers than they'd like, but I'm shuffling around the pieces right now to figure out who he would displace, or where he fits in on Junior Adams' depth chart.
Gatlin Bair
Speaking of wide receivers, the speedy wideout from Idaho will be in town this weekend. Bair ran at the Texas relays earlier this month and will run at the Oregon relays this weekend at Hayward Field for the first time.
Football obviously isn't the main focus on this trip, but I'd be shocked if he went to Eugene and didn't make some time for at least a conversation the the Oregon coaches and maybe some time at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex.
Bair placed Oregon in his top five last weekend along with Michigan, Nebraska, Boise State and TCU. I'm told that the Wolverines may be the team to beat right now in part because his coach has a player at Michigan, so there's a level of trust and familiarity there.
Bair edged out Oregon signee and California 100 meter record holder Rodrick Pleasant in a 60 meter indoor race earlier this year, which should tell you all you need to know about just how fast he really is.
Luke Moga
Moga is set to announce his commitment next Friday. He'll choose from a top six of Oregon, BYU, TCU, Michigan State, Miami and Arizona State.
Everything I'm hearing leads me to believe the Ducks are the team to beat. The date of his commitment being right before the spring game backs that up, and I'd only grow more confident if he ends up visiting that weekend as well.
There's some chatter that TCU could be a strong contender after what they did with Max Dugan in 2022. I'm also told that BYU feels like they have a good shot. Moga previously told me he was going to visit Oregon this weekend, April 22, but that was before he set his commitment date.
Michael Van Buren
The talented Baltimore quarterback was on campus last weekend and Oregon isn't going away in this recruitment any time soon.
He teased news to be released on Friday and it looks like it could be an updated group of top schools. I expect Oregon and Penn State to make the cut, especially since the Nittany Lions have been viewed as the leaders for a while. I wouldn't be surprised if Maryland remains in the picture as well.
The more I think about it I think Oregon should take one high school quarterback and one transfer portal quarterback ahead of the 2024 season, which will be without Bo Nix. The question could become, which quarterback do they want to take?
I personally like Van Buren a bit more than Moga, but getting a quarterback in the fold sooner rather than later will be important to help catapult this class forward.
Dakoda Fields
Fields is probably the cornerback at the top of Demetrice Martin's board in the 2024 class. It makes sense since he was teammates with Rodrick Pleasant at Serra. I was told last season that he's THE cornerback to watch out of the LA area in the 2024 class and my sense is that Oregon is still the team to beat in this recruitment.
USC sits strongly at No. 2 and is doing everything they can to make this recruitment interesting. Fields went to Ohio State for a visit earlier this spring and the Buckeyes impressed.
He told me he plans to cut his list down to seven probably within the next month, but this one has all the makings of an Oregon vs. USC battle when it boils down to it. Those are also the only two schools he's scheduled official visits to.
The Ducks have dominated Southern California in recent cycles, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. It seems pretty obvious that Riley prefers to rely on the transfer portal rather than the high school ranks.
I'm feeling good about Oregon being the pick in the end, but we'll have to keep a close eye on this recruitment and check in on things when he sets a commitment date.
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