Though there’s little consolation when you lose a prized recruit to a conference foe, there’s even less when it’s the second de-commitment you’ve received in a matter of days.
That’s the reality facing the Oregon coaching staff, as Calabasas (Calif.) four-star wide receiver Johnny Wilson announced his flip to Arizona State on Wednesday, the first day prospects from the 2020 recruiting class can make their commitments to college football programs across the country official.
Welcome to Tempe, @jjohnnywilson 😈 pic.twitter.com/cUXv5XgwBA
— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) December 18, 2019
The 6-foot-6, 224-pound Wilson, who is currently ranked as the 16th-best receiver nationally per 247Sports’ Composite Rankings, quickly became one of the flimsier Duck commitments after taking an initial visit to ASU’s campus earlier this fall. The speculation around the strength of his pledge to Oregon seemed to reach a fever pitch, however, the last few weeks after recruiting insiders caught wind that Wilson was expected in the Phoenix area for a last minute visit before putting pen to paper.
With his de-commitment, Oregon’s 2020 recruiting class – which had been ranked as high as 11th in the country in recent weeks, per 247Sports – slips to 18th nationally. The loss of Wilson also leaves the Ducks with Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco four-star prospect Kris Hutson as the lone wide receiver commitment in this year’s class, though Oregon did land a transfer from former USC wideout Devon Williams this past September. Similar to Wilson, Williams is a big-bodied pass catcher who was a highly-regarded four-star prospect in his own right coming out of the 2018 class.
Below, WFOD analyzes Wilson’s de-commitment and how it impacts the Ducks.
The glass half-empty look:
There’s no getting around the fact that it stings to lose a player with the kind of impressive physical profile that Wilson possesses. At 6-foot-6 and 224 pounds, Wilson would have arrived in Eugene as perhaps the largest receiver the Ducks have ever inked. A former high school teammate of Oregon true freshman wide receiver Mycah Pittman, Wilson would have provided the Ducks with a downfield weapon fashioned similarly after graduate transfer Juwan Johnson, who proved to be a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses over latter half of the 2019 season. Additionally, Wilson would have provided the Oregon offense with a potentially devastating perimeter blocker, as the Ducks often prefer to use their wide receivers as an extra blocker at or near the line of scrimmage on run plays and screens. Without him, the Ducks will miss out on the benefit on having potentially elite size and brawn at the receiver position in 2020 and beyond.
The glass half-full look:
As much as it might hurt to lose a player with Wilson’s tremendous upside, the impact of his de-commitment from Oregon’s 2020 class is somewhat mitigated thanks to the addition of Devon Williams earlier this fall. Already on campus and practicing with the Ducks, Williams has been turning heads with his play on the scout team over the past few months, which will likely give him the inside track on substantial playing time over any other newcomers the Ducks look to add this winter. This isn’t to say that Wilson isn’t a player that Oregon head coach Mario Cristobal wouldn’t like to have, but the depth and quality at the position doesn’t figure to be compromised to a significant degree with Wilson looking to move on. With the Ducks only expected to lose Juwan Johnson (graduation) heading into next season, Oregon’s wide receiver depth chart will still boast some of the best collection of experience and talent that they’ve had at the position in quite some time.
Who are Oregon’s remaining options at wide receiver this recruiting cycle?
This is where it gets difficult to project how the Ducks might look to replace Wilson in 2020. Currently, there are a sparse number of known targets that Oregon could turn to now that an additional scholarship in this class is available. The Ducks have hosted three-star prospect Jeremiah Hunter and four-star prospects Jermaine Burton, Traeshon Holden, and Gary Bryant this fall, but none are expected to seriously consider Oregon on Signing Day. One possibility is that Oregon could save the scholarship for a high school or junior college player who elects not to sign during the early period, and attempt instead to address the position before the late signing period in February. Another option could be sifting through the transfer portal for players who are seeking a better opportunity or a change of scenery, though like the prep prospects, there are no obvious targets at this time.
Top Photo: Calabasas (Calif.) WR Johnny Wilson (Shotgun Spratling/Los Angeles Times)