Ladies and gentlemen, Mario Cristobal has done did it again.

A year after inking the highest-rated prospect in program history in five-star recruit Kayvon Thibodeaux, the Ducks’ second year head coach went back into Southern California and pried another five-star prospect from the clutches of USC; a player who officially goes down as the second highest-rated recruit to ever pledge to the Ducks.

That recruit is Upland (Calif.) five-star linebacker Justin Flowe.

Regarded as the top prospect in California, the top inside linebacker in the country, and the no. 4 overall prospect nationally in the 2020 recruiting class, Flowe made the call for the Ducks in front of a national television audience (including two anxious fanbases representing the Ducks and Trojans) on Wednesday during ESPN’s National Signing Day coverage.

#ESPN300 5-Star LB Justin Flowe picks #Oregon over #USC pic.twitter.com/OnFxPA8ShO

— Gerry Hamilton (@HamiltonESPN) December 18, 2019

Flowe’s commitment serves as the proverbial cherry on top of a star-studded defensive sundae for the Ducks, elevating Oregon’s 2020 recruiting class to 15th nationally per 247Sports’ Composite Team Rankings, and providing the Ducks with a second five-star commitment at linebacker following the November pledge of Orem (Utah) product Noah Sewell. Flowe joins Sewell as the fourth linebacker to commit to the Ducks during the 2020 recruiting cycle, combining with four-star prospect Jaden Navarrette and three-star recruit Jackson LaDuke to give Oregon hands down its most decorated class of linebackers in program history.

Flowe chose the Ducks over a final grouping that consisted of USC, Clemson, and Miami (Fla.), though he garnered nearly 40 offers from a virtual who’s who of national powerhouse programs from coast to coast.

Below we take a closer look at Flowe’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:

• Suspect coverage skills: As gifted as Flowe is as an athlete, we do have some questions with regard to how well he’ll be able to hold up in coverage at the next level. Flowe is at his very best attacking the line of scrimmage and chasing down ball carriers, but there isn’t a ton on tape that suggests he’s adept playing in space and capable of providing quality pass defense against opposing backs and receivers. This can be improved with time, though it remains a legit question mark in his game as he enters college.
• Can play a little out of control at times: Most coaches prefer a guy they have to reign in a bit opposed to someone they have to constantly motivate and push, so in that respect, Flowe’s fiery play on the field is a positive. However, there are times when the talented linebacker can let emotion get the best of him, opening himself up to penalties and other negative plays for his team. Being mindful of that and present enough to avoid those moments will likely be something Flowe has to battle throughout his career.

Notable strengths:

• Ferocious on-field demeanor: Within seconds of watching Flowe on film, it’s clear that he is an athlete who is wired just a little bit differently compared to his peers when it comes his competitive spirit and ability to intimidate. His loud, expressive play is noticed by all on the field and it’s the kind of mentality that raises the intensity level of his teammates while also striking fear into the hearts of the opposition. When a player like Justin Flowe is on the field, everyone lined up across from him takes account.
• A heat-seeking missile in pursuit: There’s a reason why Flowe is regarded as perhaps the best linebacker prospect to originate from California in the last decade. Flowe’s ferocity on the field is often channeled into the way he pursues the football in an almost hyper-instinctual way. It’s almost as if Flowe plays at twice the speed of everyone else in the game, as his combination of anticipation, explosiveness, and ability to close on ball carriers from sideline to sideline is something found in only the most elite players at the linebacker position. 
• Tremendously physical: Flowe is a destroyer, plain and simple. If he has you in his crosshairs, he only he needs a few steps in order to level an absolutely devastating hit that can swing the momentum of a ball game. He’s the dictionary definition of a tone setter on defense and should be someone who quickly earns a reputation as one of – if not the most – physical players on the Oregon roster.

Overall outlook:

Just like Kayvon Thibodeaux last year, and just like Noah Sewell this year, Flowe joins Oregon’s 2020 recruiting class as one of the most hyped recruits to ever sign with the Ducks. In fact, few players would be able to supplant Sewell as the definitive crown jewel in this year’s recruiting class for Oregon, but Flowe is undoubtedly that caliber of player. With Flowe in the mix, the Duck defense has the legitimate potential to be even better than the unit Oregon fielded in 2019 as it enters its second season under the direction of defensive coordinator Andy Avalos. In fact, depending on potential early entries to the NFL draft, Oregon could rather easily field its most talented defense ever next season, with Flowe, Sewell, Thibodeaux, and rising stars at linebacker and corner, respectively, in Mase Funa and Mykael Wright serving as the wildly gifted young backbone of this group. And like those aforementioned players, Flowe likely won’t have to wait long to make his impact, as he’ll arrive on campus as perhaps the favorite among a group primarily comprised of Sampson Niu, Dru Mathis, and MJ Cunningham to fill the prodigious shoes of Troy Dye. Make no mistake, the addition of Justin Flowe is the kind of landmark recruiting victory for Cristobal and the program that will reverberate on a Thibodeaux/Haloti Ngata/De’Anthony Thomas-type level for years, if not decades, to come.