Zabien Brown Places Oregon in Top Four Schools
On Sunday, 2024 Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei cornerback Zabien Brown placed the Oregon Ducks in his top four schools.
He released his updated finalists over social media and also included USC, Alabama and Ohio State.
Brown has interest in Oregon for a long time, landing his offer from the Ducks in May 2022.
He took a visit to Eugene in January and came away impressed by what he saw from Dan Lanning and other coaches on staff.
"Coach Meat, bringing over Gonzo (Christian Gonzalez), definitely him going one and done, that shows that they know how to develop players," Brown told Ducks Digest.
Martin was tabbed the top recruiter in the Pac-12 by 247Sports for his efforts in the 2023 recruiting class, helping Oregon land signatures from All-American defensive backs Daylen Austin and Rodrick Pleasant, two highly-coveted recruits who also hail from Brown's native Southern California.
It's clear the Ducks have solid momentum in this recruitment, but going up against three storied college football programs means it won't be an easy battle to win.
Brown also spoke highly of head coach Dan Lanning, who will also have the relationships and recruiting acumen of defensive graduate assistant Rashad Wadood, one of the best up-and-coming recruiters in the Pac-12 as well as defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi to aid in Oregon's pursuit.
With the 6-foot-1, 180-pound four-star cornerback down to four, this puts Oregon in perfect position to land an official visit if Brown decides to take his officials before making his commitment. He previously told Ducks Digest that he plans to enroll early at his school of choice.
The Ducks are recruiting a handful of other Mater Dei plays including Brandon Baker, the nation's No. 1 offensive tackle, edge rusher Aydin Breland, quarterback Elijah Brown and running back Nate Frazier.
Other Oregon cornerback targets in 2024 include Xavier Filsaime (McKinney, TX), Dakoda Fields (Gardena, CA) and Ify Obidegwu (Baltimore, MD).
READ MORE: Oregon spring preview-Ducks searching for new No. 2 wide receiver
Torres' Take
Oregon has already done some really solid work in this recruitment. Ohio State is the newest school to watch here after the Buckeyes extended an offer in January.
I can't overstate the importance of Rashad Wadood in this recruitment, as he's become an integral piece of Oregon's efforts in Southern California after joining the staff from Long Beach (Calif.) Poly. Combining him with Demetrice Martin, Tosh Lupoi and Lanning has made the Ducks competitors for any recruit in the Los Angeles/Southern California area.
That's not to say I'm predicting Brown will commit to Oregon, but I really like their chances here. It doesn't hurt that they signed his former teammate, OL Lipe Moala in 2023.
The draw from USC is always going to be there with Southern California recruits, but Martin's development of Christian Gonzalez should carry some good weight here.
READ MORE: 5-Star QB Dylan Raiola set to visit for Oregon spring game
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