Entering the day, Oregon’s 20-man 2019 recruiting class was already at, or nearing, capacity with several months to go before the start of the early signing period in December.

However, that doesn’t seem to have halted the Ducks’ pursuit of the top remaining targets on their recruiting board.

That point was proven Thursday, as the Ducks’ added recruit No. 21 to their 2019 class – more popularly known as Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman three-star defensive end Treven Ma’ae.

1001 PERCENT COMMITTED #GoDucks #M19HTYOREGON pic.twitter.com/32cNf6bkvc

— Treven Ma’ae (@TrevenMaae) August 30, 2018

With the addition of Ma’ae, the Ducks now technically claim three defensive linemen in their current class, as Ma’ae joins fellow Oregon commits in four-star Keyon Ware-Hudson and three-star Suaava Poti. The question, however, is what position does Ma’ae ultimately grown into once he arrives in Eugene? With the ability to develop into a defensive end or outside linebacker, Ma’ae’s versatility provides Oregon with options as they continue to layer their depth chart with high-level recruits.

With 20 offers in hand, Ma’ae chose Oregon over offers from notable programs such as Oklahoma, Nebraska, and USC. Following his pledge, the Ducks maintain their No. 4 national ranking in 247Sports’ Composite Rankings, as they continue to trail Georgia, Alabama, and Texas A&M for the nation’s No. 1 recruiting ranking.

Below we take a closer look at Ma’ae’s 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:

• Positionally, a bit of a tweener: There’s no question Ma’ae has the body type and athletic ability of a highly-touted recruit, but where he ultimately winds up in college is somewhat of a mystery. At 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, Ma’ae has played mostly defensive end at the high school level, where he has excelled operating at or near the line of scrimmage. However, in Oregon’s base 3-4 defense, he has more of a outside linebacker’s build. As he matures, it’ll be interesting to see where his body takes him. At this stage, however, it’s difficult to say where exactly he’ll make his initial impact.
• Needs to improve overall strength: Ma’ae is a gifted athlete with an impressive frame, but adding weight and increasing his overall strength will have to be a focus for him between now and when he ultimately enrolls. Currently, he’s too thin to hold up and play at a high level as a defensive end.

Notable strengths:

• Terrific frame: One of the first things you noticed about Ma’ae is his frame. He’s a long-limbed athlete who is only beginning to grow into his body, yet he shows great potential as a defender. Ma’ae plays with good leverage and shows a good ability to get off blocks and make plays around and behind the line of scrimmage.
• Impressive quickness, agility: For a big guy, Ma’ae demonstrates very good quickness in his first step. He’s light on his feet and changes direction well, making him an intriguing prospect and a potential steal once he develops and fills out.
• Versatile: While he may be a bit of a tweener positionally, what could be perceived as a weakness or a detractor is also just as likely to become a strength for Ma’ae. With the body type and athletically ability to play a variety of positions for the Ducks, Ma’ae’s versatility will have him in the discussion for playing time provided he’s able to make strides in his physical maturation.

Overall outlook:

This is a nice, somewhat under-the-radar pick up for the Ducks. Yes, there may be some questions as to where Ma’ae ultimately winds up, but the truth is, Oregon could really use him at either defensive end or outside linebacker. A peek at the current depth chart suggests as much, as the Ducks are thin at both spots. In many ways, he’s a similar prospect to fellow 2019 commit Isaac Townsend, as both players could wind up being interchangeable at defensive end or outside ‘backer. And if anything has been proven over the course of fall camp, it’s that Oregon is open to experimenting with their jumbo athletes at those positions (see Jalen Jelks). Though we don’t expect Ma’ae to be a guy who comes in ready to stake an immediate claim to playing time, he has as much long-term upside as any front seven player the Ducks have scored a commitment from this cycle.