Young Prospects Detail SNL Experience

The Ducks have their eyes on a ton of talent from all over the country, and they got to evaluate much of it in-person at SNL camp.

Author:
Dylan Reubenking
Publish date:
Aug 7, 2021 10:19 AM EDT

Oregon hosted a horde of talented recruits for its annual Saturday Night Live camp on July 31. Prospects and commits competed in a number of drills, learning from the coaching staff and current players, and toured the facilities and campus. We can't forget the photoshoot in the Ducks and Nike drip.

Seven prospects spoke with Ducks Digest about their trip to Eugene and their experience competing at SNL.

Kamron Taylor - 2023 Running Back

Vitals: 5'9", 181 pounds

School: Jurupa Hills (Fontana, Calif.)

Offers: Oregon, Nevada, Maryland, Arizona, FAU, FIU, UNLV, Florida State

'23 RB Kamron Taylor with Mario Cristobal at Oregon's SNL camp on July 31.
Kamron Taylor (@Kamrontaylor8 on Twitter)

Kamron Taylor always dreamed of visiting Oregon and experiencing the football culture, having watched the Ducks for years and seeing his teammates visit Eugene. He finally got to check it out and compete in front of a crowd at Autzen Stadium.

"I couldn't believe it," Taylor said. "I just remembered two years ago that I wanted to be on that campus. I wanted to be a part of Oregon and visit it."

Taylor has been getting looks from colleges for a while, earning his first offer last July. Once he got the invite to come to Eugene for the SNL camp, he knew he had to ball out for a program that he grew up watching.

"There was a lot of competition," he told Ducks Digest. "My goal was just to go into the drills and stay focused. I felt like I improved in my route-running a lot."

While in Eugene, Taylor spent time with Mario Cristobal, who showed him around the school and the head coach's office.

"He's one of the nicest coaches I've ever met," Taylor said. "It was amazing to see all the trophies and rings throughout his history of coaching."

Shortly after the camp, Cristobal extended an offer to the 2023 running back.

"It was a lot of excitement," he said. "It really meant a lot to me. That's a school that I've always seen on TV, and now getting offered by them is just crazy."

Taylor said he wants to make his decision toward the end of his junior season and that he might drop his top five schools around that time. So who would be in that conversation?

"Only one I know is Oregon is most definitely in my top five."

Christopher Fewell - 2023 Linebacker/Running Back

Vitals: 6'2", 190 pounds

School: Lincoln High School (San Diego, Calif.)

'23 LB/RB Christopher Fewell poses with Mario Cristobal following SNL camp.
Christopher Fewell (@ChristopherFew6 on Twitter)

Christopher Fewell had never visited a college campus or talked to coaches in person before visiting Eugene for SNL this past weekend, and mreting the Oregon coaching staff set the bar high for him.

"When we first got off the elevator, we felt welcomed," Fewell said. "It felt like a family."

He got a short tour of the campus and the facilities, saying that the campus was "quiet" and that the facilities were "memorable."

Then, it was time to head to Autzen and show out for the coaches. Fewell was impressed by the talent out on the field with him.

"There was a lot of competition out there," he told Ducks Digest. "That's what we want. There were no scrubs out there."

Fewell learned from linebacker Noah Sewell, Defensive Coordinator Tim DeRuyter and Defensive Line Coach Joe Salave'a and looks forward to utilizing the tools that he picked up. But his favorite part of the camp was meeting Head Coach Mario Cristobal.

"He's a great man. They get the job done in recruiting. They've been winning, and football players want to win."

Fewell said he wants to visit Eugene again. He does not currently hold any offers, but the Lincoln product is ready to compete for any school that gives him a chance.

Austin Mack - 2024 Quarterback

Vitals: 6'5", 200 pounds

School: Folsom High School (Folsom, Calif.)

Offers: California, Nevada, Oregon

Austin Mack takes photos in the Ducks' apple green and yellow uniforms.
Austin Mack

Austin Mack took visits to California and Nevada earlier this summer and enjoyed talking with both programs, but his visit to Oregon meant something special to him.

"I've been an Oregon fan for a real long time since I was very young. Probably around the era of Chip Kelly, Marcus Mariota, and De'Anthony Thomas.

Mack and his father toured the facilities and talked with some of the coaches, including Offensive Coordinator Joe Moorhead. Getting to visit the campus of the school he has cheered on for nearly a decade was a dream come true for him.

"It was probably one of the coolest experiences I've had."

Mack told Ducks Digest that he believes he threw the ball very well. He thrived in front of the Autzen crowd and enjoyed the pressure.

"That put me in my own element," he said. "I'm good at performing in front of people that I know I have to perform in front of."

After his performance at SNL, Moorhead offered Mack over the phone. The young quarterback said he was "lost for words" after learning of the offer.

"I was speechless because just having an offer from one of my biggest schools was crazy."

Ramere Davis - 2024 Linebacker/Safety

Vitals: 6'0", 185 pounds

School: Mater Dei High School (Santa Ana, Calif.)

Offers: Maryland, Florida State, UNLV, Kansas, Oregon, FIU, Michigan

'24 linebacker Ramere Davis flexes during his photoshoot at SNL camp.
Ramere Davis (@itsrameredavis on Twitter)

Ramere Davis has an interesting perspective on the recruitment process even as a rising sophomore. His older brother, Raesjon, committed to USC and took Ramere on his visits around the country.

"Seeing him go and get dressed up was a good experience, and I knew that I wanted that for myself," said Davis, who also got to visit Oregon with his brother in April of 2019. "Seeing Oregon and the athletic complex for the first time made me want to go there and get that offer."

Coaches took notice of the young linebacker very early, as he received his first offer from Maryland when he was in eighth grade. He earned that coveted offer from Oregon in Jan. 2021 and returned to Eugene for SNL.

After visiting Oregon for a second time, the Ducks skyrocketed up his top schools list.

"I'd say Oregon is my top school now after seeing it again," he told Ducks Digest. "I love the facilities. The weather was beautiful. It feels like home."

Davis said he could have done better at the camp, but he learned a lot from Ducks linebacker Noah Sewell, who coached him individually.

"We were watching film. He's a really great player. He showed me how he does the drills and made sure I did it right."

Davis got to talk to Mario Cristobal after the camp, and it's safe to say that the Ducks head coach left a mark on him.

"He's energetic. When you talk to him, he has a way of talking that gets you going."

Malachi Finau - 2022 Defensive Lineman

Vitals: 6'3", 285 pounds

School: St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)

Offers: Kansas

Malachi Finau makes a tackle while playing for St. John Bosco.
Malachi Finau

Malachi Finau had a rather eventful day at the camp. He had an early morning practice with St. John Bosco and flew to Eugene right after.

Despite not being able to see much of Eugene or the facilities, he loved what he saw.

"Eugene is very green," Finau said. "I'm not used to that down here in Cali."

Finau worked frequently with Defensive Line Coach Joe Salave'a and learned a lot from him. Similar to the other recruits, he noted how competitive the camp was and enjoyed the experience of playing in front of fans at Autzen.

"It was awesome. I definitely pictured myself playing there one day."

The Ducks have produced a number of NFL defensive linemen over the years, including Haloti Ngata, DeForest Buckner, and Arik Armstead. That level of development is a big factor for Finau.

"It's awesome watching them just knowing how good the coaching is and how important it is to them that the players get to the NFL," Finau told Ducks Digest.

Finau's only offer is from Kansas right now, but he said an offer from Oregon would change everything.

"If Oregon offered me, I would commit for sure."

William Watson III - 2023 Quarterback

Vitals: 6'0", 182 pounds

School: Springfield Central (Springfield, Mass.)

Offers: UMass, Boston College, Tennessee, Michigan, Pittsburgh, Oregon, Arizona, Kentucky

William Watson III poses at midfield at Autzen Stadium.
William Watson III

The Ducks went to the East Coast to offer Massachusetts 2023 quarterback William Watson III in Aug. 2020. Similar to a few of the recruits who were in town for the SNL camp, Watson grew up rooting for Oregon.

"To be recruited to a school that you already like, it's a great feeling. Oregon is just a school that checks off all the boxes."

The Ducks coaches took Watson around campus and the facilities. He lauded the Ducks facilities as "some of the best facilities that I've seen."

When it came time to lace up the cleats, Watson told Ducks Digest that he performed well, but knows he can do better.

"I don't think they saw the best, but they were happy with what they saw," he said.

After the camp, he spent time with Mario Cristobal and appreciated his authenticity and hunger to succeed.

"I could tell he was being himself, and I could tell he has a lot of energy and passion for the game. He sounds like somebody that wants to be the best at coaching and have the best program in the country."

Landon Mumphrey - 2023 Cornerback

Vitals: 6'0", 170 pounds

School: Sachse High School (Sachse, Texas)

'23 CB Landon Mumphrey with Oregon Cornerbacks Coach Rod Chance.
Landon Mumphrey

The Ducks coaching staff has built quite the Texas pipeline on the recruiting trail. 2023 cornerback Landon Mumphrey could be another pickup from the Lone Star State as he hails from Sachse High School in Sachse, a suburb of Dallas.

Mumphrey is not just a standout corner, but he also is a blazer on the track team. He told Ducks Digest that he's looking for a school that will allow him to do both football and track in college.

"Track is just as big as football for me," he said. "Both football and track are at the top of my list for schools and what I want to do in the future."

His speed and solid frame could be an intriguing fit for Rod Chance's unit. Mumphrey got to spend time with the Ducks' cornerbacks coach, visiting the facilities and breaking down film.

"He welcomed me and showed me around a little bit," said Mumphrey, who also spoke highly of the Ducks coaching staff as a whole. "They were all really welcoming and open and taught me a lot of new things that I'm going to implement into my game this year. The coaching staff was so amazing and high-energy all the time."

Mumphrey got to feel the love from Oregon fans in the crowd, as he was impressed by the fan turnout at Autzen Stadium for SNL.

"I was surprised. I was like 'y'all came all the way down here for a camp?' They were really supportive, and it was really good to have that type of energy when I was practicing."

Mumphrey said he would like to return to Eugene and check out Hayward Field and explore the track and field program. Aside from being a dynamic athlete, he is also an excellent student, participating in Beta Club, Black Student Association, and the National Society of High School Scholars.