It was originally believed that the Ducks landed their quarterback of the future back in May, as Brentwood (Calif.) Liberty four-star quarterback Jay Butterfield locked in his commitment to Oregon after Mario Cristobal and the Ducks coaching staff shot their shot and missed with perhaps this cycle’s top overall target in five-star quarterback DJ Uiagalelei.

Yet, while Butterfield remains as a key component to Oregon’s future at the position, the need remained for the Ducks to add even more talent to the most critical position on the roster, particularly with four-year starter Justin Herbert headed for the NFL. Insert Hoover (Ala.) four-star quarterback Robby Ashford, who announced Wednesday that he would be joining Oregon’s rapidly ascending 2020 recruiting class.

Locked in with the Ducks will be Officially signing in February #GoDucks💚💛 @Oregonfootball pic.twitter.com/cSn64EGHv8

— Robby Ashford (@robby_ashford) December 18, 2019

Formerly an Ole Miss verbal commit since late June, Ashford made the decision to de-commit from the Rebels on December 10 after Lane Kiffin was named as the new head man in Oxford just days prior. Ashford officially visited Eugene less than a week later, making Oregon the frontrunner in his recruitment from that point forward.

With Ashford’s pledge, the Ducks rise to 16th in the national recruiting rankings per 247Sports’ Composite Team Rankings. It also marks the first time since 2016 that Oregon has gained commitments from two quarterbacks in one recruiting class (Terry Wilson and Justin Herbert).

Ranked as the 10th-best dual threat quarterback in the Class of 2020 according to 247Sports’ Composite Rankings, Ashford heads to Eugene after earning a total of 19 scholarship offers from programs such as Auburn, Florida, Florida State, and Georgia.

Below we take a closer look at Ashford’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:

• Can be too confident in his arm: Ashford has plenty of arm talent to be a difference maker at quarterback at the collegiate level, but there are times when he exhibits perhaps a little too much confidence in his ability has a thrower. On film there are a handful of instances where he attempts to fit the ball into tight spaces, and while it’s not necessarily a bad thing to have a quarterback who is willing to take risks, it can lead all too often to frustrating moments when those risks backfire.
• Somewhat injury prone: Unfortunately, it was a bit of an injury-plagued senior season for Ashford, who suffered a foot injury in early September before ultimately returning for Hoover’s playoff run in November. Injuries and football walk hand-in-hand, but Ashford’s ability to stay healthy could be something to monitor as he makes the transition to college.

Notable strengths:

• Efficient, compact release: There’s a lot to like about Ashford when you watch him throw the football. Though he didn’t put up the gaudiest passing numbers during his high school career, the arm talent is definitely there. His smooth, efficient release allows him to get the ball out on time to his receivers and often in positions where they can make plays.
• Great all-around athlete: A highly-touted baseball prospect to boot, Ashford is a well-rounded athlete who doesn’t shy away from showcasing his wide array of physical gifts. Not only does Ashford have a powerful arm, but he’s got the speed and athleticism to make defense’s pay dearly if he’s forced from the pocket. He’s a true dual threat quarterback who can beat you in a variety of ways.
• Good pocket presence, awareness: Though Ashford is a threat to take off and run at any moment, he demonstrates on film that he is quite alright sitting back and making plays from the pocket. His ability to sense pressure, evade it, and make composed throws is perhaps the most dangerous element of his game, and it’s something that should serve him well as he competes for playing time.

Overall outlook:

It appeared for awhile that the Ducks were content taking just one quarterback this recruiting cycle once Butterfield committed to Oregon this past spring. However, as the summer came and went, it became increasingly clear that the Ducks sought to add even more depth to the position as they pursued uncommitted four-star talents like CJ Stroud and Malik Hornsby with serious intent. Yet, oddly enough, a potential match between Ashford and the Ducks really only began to materialize over the last few weeks once Ashford de-committed from Ole Miss following the ouster of former head coach Matt Luke. From there, the Ducks worked quickly to get Ashford on campus for an official visit prior to the start of the early signing period and evidently did enough during that visit to ultimately land a commitment from one of the top quarterbacks in the 2020 class. Ashford’s talents are unlike Butterfield’s, or any of the current quarterbacks on the roster for that matter, as he’ll instantly arrive in Eugene has the most athletic signal-caller on the roster. Though he’ll likely run fourth behind next year’s projected starter Tyler Shough, Cale Millen, and Butterfield on the depth chart once competition between the four begins in earnest next season, Ashford’s diverse, well-rounded skill set makes him perhaps the most intriguing contender of the bunch.

Top Photo: Hoover (Ala.) QB Robby Ashford (Barry Stephenson/Hoover Sun)