Only now is the dust beginning to settle on Oregon’s red-letter 2019 recruiting class; a monumental recruiting haul on both offense and defense that ultimately landed the Ducks in the top ten of the national recruiting rankings for the first time in school history.
Yet, in spite of the incredible and unprecedented work from head coach Mario Cristobal and his crack staff of elite-level recruiters in 2019, the end of one recruiting cycle only serves to mark the beginning of the next recruiting chapter. Well before the ink had dried on the 2019 class, Cristobal and company had already gotten a jump on the Class of 2020, as the Oregon coaching staff has already offered well over 200 recruits in the 2020 class.
Below, WFOD takes a look at the biggest single target at each position on defense, while also including a few key names to keep tabs on.
Defensive Line
The Big Fish: (4*) Jason Harris – 6’7″, 220 lbs. – Gilbert (Ariz.) Higley
The state of Arizona has served as fertile recruiting territory for the Ducks in recent years. The hope is that it can continue as such during the 2020 cycle, as the Oregon coaching staff has prioritized arguably the state’s most intriguing prospect in four-star recruit Jason Harris. Listed at 6-foot-7 and 220 pounds, Harris is currently a bit on the slender side to hold up as a full-time defensive end at the collegiate level, but his overall length and athleticism is off the charts, and with a little bit of physical development over the next couple years, he could easily develop into a terrifying pass rusher. The biggest question surrounding Harris at this stage, however, isn’t what school he’ll attended or even how he’ll be deployed within a defense. It’s whether he’ll even play football. Regarded as a high-major basketball recruit to boot, Harris will ultimately need to decide where he believes his future is brightest.
Other names to know:
(4*) Jordan Banks – 6’1″, 228 lbs. – Harbor City (Calif.) Narbonne
(4*) Jamar Sekona – 6’3″, 305 lbs. – Greenbrae (Calif.) Marin Catholic
(4*) Jayson Jones – 6’7″, 340 lbs. – Calera (Ala.) **ALABAMA VERBAL COMMIT**
Linebacker
The Big Fish: (5*) Justin Flowe – 6’2″, 225 lbs. – Upland (Calif.)
The West Coast is teeming with elite talent in the Class of 2020 and perhaps no player better underscores that fact than five-star linebacker Justin Flowe. Nicknamed “Baby Man” thanks to his precocious physical development, Flowe is a human wrecking ball from his inside linebacker position. His highlight tape is a dark comedy, as he’s seen making incredible plays from sideline to sideline which often end in him completely (and hilariously) obliterating ball carriers. His violent style of play is no doubt striking, but the speed and athleticism he exhibits proves he’s much more than a hit stick personified. With 35-plus offers from college football’s who’s who, Flowe captains his own destiny, but competition for his letter-of-intent next winter will likely be fierce. USC is the current Crystal Ball favorite per 247Sports, though schools like Oregon, Oklahoma, and Texas are also firmly in contention.
Other names to know:
(4*) Jordan Botelho – 6’3″, 220 lbs. – Honolulu (Hawaii) St. Louis
(5*) Sav’ell Smalls – 6’3″, 230 lbs. – Seattle (Wash.) Garfield
(4*) Noah Sewell – 6’2″, 256 lbs. – Orem (Utah)
Defensive Back
The Big Fish: (4*) Avantae Williams – 5’10”, 170 lbs. – DeLand (Fla.) **OREGON VERBAL COMMIT**
The top prospect at defensive back for Oregon in the 2020 recruiting cycle may be the one that is currently committed to them in four-star safety Avantae Williams. Formerly a verbal commitment to Miami (Fla.), Williams pledged to the Ducks this past December despite having never visited the state. At the time, Williams cited his relationship with Oregon cornerbacks coach Donte Williams (no relation) as the driving force behind his verbal commitment. The big question, however, is whether the Ducks can successfully fend off local programs and the natural pull to stay close to home and hold onto the nation’s no. 3 ranked safety. On Thursday, Williams tweeted that he was shutting down his recruitment, but it’s unclear whether he was doing so in an effort to focus on his commitment to the Ducks or it was a device to simply avoid the multitude of phone calls he’d receive should he decide to open up his recruitment. Should Williams de-commit, Florida is believed to be the favorite for his signature. Regardless, the Ducks will have their work cut out for them as they attempt to keep arguably the nation’s most dynamic defensive back in the fold.
Other names to know:
(N/A) Donovan Clark – 6’3″, 190 lbs. – Tacoma (Wash.) Lincoln
(4*) Clark Phillips – 5’11”, 178 lbs. – La Habra (Calif.)
(4*) Lejond Cavazos – 6’1″, 190 lbs. – Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy
(4*) Myles Slusher – 6’0″, 181 lbs. – Broken Arrow (Okla.)
(N/A) Jared “JJ” Greenfield – 6’0″, 180 lbs. – Harbor City (Calif.) Narbonne