The Ducks have officially rebounded from the two de-commitments they suffered in June.

On the heels of Monday’s verbal commitment from Lanett (Ala.) four-star safety Trikweze Bridges, Wednesday saw the Ducks fill their recruiting void at defensive back completely, as they landed a verbal commitment from four-star JUCO cornerback Elijah Blades.

The commitment from Blades gives Oregon their fourth commitment in three days, as he joins Bridges, four-star wide receiver Mycah Pittman, and four-star 2018 prospect Bryan Addison as the commitments who have pledged to the Ducks this week.

Regarded as a four-star recruit and the nation’s 15th-best cornerback prospect during the 2017 recruiting cycle, Blades – a product of John Muir High School in Pasadena, Calif. – originally signed a national letter of intent with Nebraska, where current Oregon cornerbacks coach Donte Williams was an assistant under former Huskers head coach Mike Riley.

After it was determined Blades wouldn’t be able to qualify academically, he went the JUCO route, landing at Arizona Western College in Yuma. Since then, Blades has rectified his academic standing while maintaining his reputation as one of the top corners in the West, ranking as the second-best corner at the JUCO level per 247Sports’ Composite Rankings.

With his pledge, Blades joins four-star prospects Mykael Wright, Jeremiah Criddell, and the aforementioned Bridges as Oregon’s fourth defensive back commit for 2019, giving the Ducks the nation’s 4th-ranked recruiting class per 247Sports’ Composite Team Rankings.

Below we take a closer look at Blades’ game, examining his weaknesses and strengths, as well as projecting how he may make an impact for the Ducks when he ultimately arrives on campus.

Notable weaknesses:

• Needs to get stronger: Blades’ height is arguably his greatest asset, but at 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds, his slender build is also perhaps his greatest weakness. He should be able to tack on muscle once he gets the benefit of being a part of an elite-level weight and nutrition program, but if not, his thin frame could lend itself to future durability issues.
• Tackling must improve: There’s no questioning his athleticism and overall talent, but there’s noticeable improvement Blades could make when comes to the fundamentals of tackling. In the absence of sound technique, Blades falls out of position, leaving himself exposed in situations where he’s forced to make a tackle in a one-on-one situation or in the open field.

Notable strengths:

• Tremendous length and athleticism: Blades’ length and athleticism are two things you simply cannot teach. His height and long arms allow him to challenge virtually any receiver he comes up against, while his top-notch athletic ability enables him to stay step-for-step with the best athletes college football has to offer. The physical gifts he possesses are a defensive coordinator’s dream.
• Playmaker at corner: Not only does Blades look the part of a future lockdown corner, he plays the part as well. He’s got a great nose for the football and has a knack for making big plays defending the pass thanks to his terrific ball skills. Has the mentality of an offensive player when the ball is in his hands.
• Great instincts and twitch: Pop in the film and it’s not long before you realize that Blades is a natural at cornerback. In particular, his quick reflexes and fluidity in coverage leaps off the screen. He closes well and is at ease contesting receivers for the football.
• Doesn’t shy away from contact: While he may have some strides to make in the tackling department, his shortcomings don’t appear to come from a lack of effort. Despite his thin stature, Blades exudes a rugged mentality coming up to make plays near the line of scrimmage.

Overall outlook:

Coming out of high school, there was no doubt that Blades had the raw talent to immediately compete for playing time as a true freshman, and it’s a shame that academic issues prevented him from performing on a bigger stage earlier in his collegiate career. However, in this case, Nebraska’s loss is an enormous gain for Oregon. Not only do the Ducks address a major need this recruiting cycle with his commitment, but the opportunity on the depth chart will be there for Blades to make an instant impact when he arrives in Eugene next year. He’s a ready-made prospect with loads of physical skills that project favorably to the NFL; the key will be simply staying focused and carrying over the positive momentum he’s created for himself at the JUCO level. If he can do that, two seasons is all Blades will need to prove he was worth the wait.