It won’t be easy to replace the immensely talented and veteran-laded group the Ducks currently have along the offensive line, but the future of the position group is positively bright with Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal unapologetically prioritizing offensive line prowess at Oregon.

Thursday’s announcement from Draper (Utah) Corner Canyon three-star prospect Jackson Light is further proof of that notion, as the nation’s sixth-ranked center prospect in the 2021 recruiting class made his commitment to Cristobal and Ducks.

COMMITTED 💚🦆 #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/AQ5JALOYYz

— Jackson Powers Light (@bigjax36) October 17, 2019

Light was on hand for an unofficial visit to Eugene roughly two weeks ago, where he witnessed Oregon’s grind it out victory over the Cal Bears. That visit seemed to linger with Light, who told 247Sports’ Blair Angulo that his time at Oregon was “amazing” and that the Ducks came away as “definitely a top school for me.”

With seven offers to his name from the likes of Nebraska, Missouri, Utah, and BYU, Light is the first offensive lineman to commit to Oregon’s 2021 class, and is the third player to pledge to the class overall, joining four-star running back Seven McGee and four-star defensive back Anthony Beavers.

Below we take a closer look at Light’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:

• Lacks ideal size: At 6-foot-3 and 275 pounds, Light somewhat reflects his surname compared to other offensive linemen the Ducks have recruited recently. And though the center position, generally speaking, places less emphasis on jaw-dropping measurables, Light will need some seasoning before he arrives ready to play as a college freshman.
• Needs to show more as a pass blocker: Based on film from his sophomore year, Light doesn’t demonstrate much in the way of pass blocking. Given his athleticism, it’s reasonable to think that this is a skill he could hone over time, but the lack of tape raises reasonable questions as to his proficiency in this area.

Notable strengths:

• Impressive athlete: Man, it’s really hard not to be impressed with the raw tools that Light shows on tape. The center position can be a tricky position to evaluate at the high school level, but Light appears to be a natural. He shows great burst off the snap, outstanding lateral quickness, and terrific change of direction for a big guy. As he grows into his body, Light could be a force at the position down the road.
• Finisher’s mentality: In addition to being a great athlete, Light possesses a mean streak that makes him an ideal fit for an Oregon offensive line that fancies itself as a tough, mauling bunch under head coach Mario Cristobal. His willingness and ability to dominate opponents at the point of attack should continue the trend of physical play in the trenches in Eugene.
• Quality run blocker: What Light may not necessarily demonstrate as a pass blocker, he does so as a run blocker. We touched on his nastiness above, which certainly plays a role, but his preternatural ability to fire off the line of scrimmage and eliminate defenders in the run game is fun to watch. As he adds strength, he figures to be a tone-setter in this area of the game.

Overall outlook:

Light’s recruiting ranking may not grab headlines like fellow 2021 verbal commits in Seven McGee and Anthony Beavers, but he could easily prove to be just as impactful as those players over the course of his career at Oregon. In some ways, Light kind of reminds us of former Duck Hroniss Grasu; a player who was somewhat undersized coming out of high school, but had athletic gifts that made him a player capable of making an instant impact upon arriving on campus. Light, however, appears even more polished and physically mature than Grasu did at a similar stage in his career. Whether he’s able to make an immediate impact like Grasu, however, is another story. By the time Light gets to Eugene, he’ll likely have to contend at center with some combination of walk-on Ryan Walk, incoming JUCO transfer T.J. Bass, veteran Dawson Jaramillo, and Logan Sagapolu, who will be in his first year with the program coming off his Mormon mission. Of the group, though, Light might have the most upside should he continue growing and improving over the next couple of seasons. The stars attached to his name might not get Duck fans lathered up, but this is a high quality first addition to what could be a very strong offensive line class for the Ducks in 2021.