After a week-long tug o' war, Devon Williams winds up a Duck

After a week-long tug o’ war, Devon Williams winds up a Duck

Team / Friday, September 27th, 2019

It’s hard to articulate how exactly we got here with Devon Williams. In fact, it’s possible that Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal, Oregon State head coach Jonathan Smith, and perhaps even Williams himself would have a tough time taking you step-by-step through the process and the outcome.

However, what we can say with crystal clear clarity is that the Devon Williams recruiting saga has added unexpected and immeasurable intrigue to the already contentious Civil War rivalry between the Ducks and the Beavers.

For those wondering what the hub-bub is all about, here’s a rough chronology of Williams’ circuitous route to Eugene:

    • January 26, 2018: Williams, a four-star recruit and the no. 6 ranked wide receiver in the 2018 recruiting class, unofficially visits Oregon. Is believed to be a strong Oregon lean leading up to Signing Day on February 7.
    • February 7, 2018: Williams signs with USC after taking a last minute unofficial visit just days before Signing Day
    • September 11, 2019: Williams announces his intent to transfer from USC and enters the NCAA transfer portal. In 13 career games with the Trojans, Williams tallied five catches for 98 yards and one touchdown.
    • September 25, 2019: Oregon State officially announces that Williams has joined the football program and is added to the Beavers roster
    • September 27, 2019: Williams, in an apparent change of heart, reneges on his decision to attend Oregon State and instead announces his commitment to Oregon.

Now, what happened between September 25 and September 27 is where things get fuzzy. Speculation has run rampant as to whether Williams signed any official paperwork with Oregon State and to what extent that bound him to the university. In an interview with DuckTerritory’s Matt Prehm, Williams called his initial commitment to Oregon State a “misunderstanding,” though many in Corvallis would likely challenge that view based on what reportedly transpired the last few days.

Regardless of who you side with, it appears now that Williams is Eugene bound and expected to enroll at Oregon sometime within the next week. In terms of when he’ll be eligible to take the field for the Ducks, it’s expected that Williams will see his first action in an Oregon uniform in 2020 after appearing in just one game for USC this season, enabling him to take advantage of his available redshirt year.

With Williams’ anticipated arrival in Eugene, the focus now turns to how he fits in with the Ducks offensively next season.

Roughly two weeks ago, we debated the extent to which the Ducks should pursue Williams. Yet, at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, there’s absolutely no debating that Williams is an alluring target in the passing game who presents myriad matchup problems given his tremendous blend of size and athletic ability. Though he was never able to quite crack USC’s deep rotation at wide receiver, the path figures to be a little clearer for Williams at Oregon. With both Brenden Schooler and Juwan Johnson set to graduate at the end of the 2019 season, Williams will have a chance to compete immediately at one of the outside receiver positions in Oregon’s offense, teaming with Bryan Addison (6’5″) and incoming freshman Johnny Wilson (6’6″) to give the Ducks three receivers who measure 6-foot-4 or taller.

Combine that with other prospective returning talent such as Johnny Johnson, Jaylon Redd, Mycah Pittman, Josh Delgado, Lance Wilhoite, JR Waters, Daewood Davis, and another incoming freshman in Kris Hutson, and it’s expected that the Ducks will have one of the most talented receiving corps in the Pac-12 heading into next season.

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