A 2020 recruiting class that was headlined by a trio of five-star signees in Noah Sewell, Justin Flowe, and Dontae Manning gives way to a 2021 cycle that will look to be replicated – or perhaps even improved upon – by Ducks head coach Mario Cristobal and his slightly new-look coaching staff.

Gone from last year’s group is former offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo and former cornerbacks coach Donte Williams, who have left their posts in Eugene to become the head coach at UNLV, and the cornerbacks coach and passing game coordinator at USC, respectively.

Replacing Arroyo at OC is Joe Moorhead, who is best known for his work as the former offensive coordinator at Penn State before making his way to Starkville to be the head man at Mississippi State for two seasons before meeting his ouster this past January. Filling Williams’ void is former Minnesota cornerbacks coach Rod Chance, who was a member of the Oregon coaching staff as a defensive analyst in 2018.

Together, Moorhead and Chance – combined with the rest of the staff already in place – look to provide the same level of punch on the recruiting trail that Arroyo and Williams were known to bring during their stints with the Ducks.

With momentum in the 2021 cycle already building, WFOD takes a closer look at the 2021 prospects Duck fans should know as the year unfolds.

Quarterback

The Big Fish: (5*) Caleb Williams – 6’2″, 209 lbs. – Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga

While there’s no quarterback prospect – particularly out West – that is generating the type of buzz that Bryce Young and DJ Uiagalelei did a year ago, Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga five-star prospect Caleb Williams is a player who is every bit as capable of being held in similar regard once the 2021 recruiting cycle comes to a close. Ranked as the top dual-threat quarterback in the country and no. 14 overall prospect nationally per 247Sports’ Composite Rankings, Williams is a dynamic talent with the ability to change the fortunes of any program once he arrives on campus. While his listed height indicates that he’s taller than guys like Russell Wilson or Kyler Murray, two NFL players Williams has drawn comparisons to, his style of play is quite similar in the way he can keep opposing defenses off balance with the threat of his arm and legs. After taking an unofficial visit to Eugene last summer, the Ducks are believed to be on Williams’ short list of programs that he’s considering, though they’ll have their work cut out for them as Oregon will try to edge out other brand names like LSU, Oklahoma, and Penn State for his signature later this year.

Other names to know:

(4*) Peter Costelli – 6’3″, 205 lbs. – Mission Viejo (Calif.)
(3*) Clay Millen – 6’3″, 188 lbs. – Snoqualmie (Wash.) Mount Si
(4*) Ty Thompson – 6’4″, 200 lbs. – Gilbert (Ariz.) Mesquite
(4*) Miller Moss – 6’2″, 197 lbs. – Mission Hills (Calif.) Bishop Alemany

Running Back

The Big Fish: (4*) Seven McGee – 5’8″, 167 lbs. – Corona (Calif.) Centennial – **OREGON VERBAL COMMIT**

For now, the Ducks sit in an enviable position at running back considering both the depth of talent currently on the roster, and the fact that arguably the biggest target on their board has been committed to them for over a year. That player is Corona (Calif.) Centennial four-star prospect Seven McGee, a multi-dimensional offensive weapon who many have called “the next De’Anthony Thomas.” That’s quite a label to put on a player who was unable to play last season due to his transfer from high school in western New York back to California (his home state), though it does provide some insight into his abilities as a big-play threat; an element the Ducks have sorely missed on offense in recent seasons. His senior season at Centennial High in Corona (Calif.) will go a long way in affirming the hype that McGee has generated off and on throughout his high school career.

Other names to know:

(4*) Evan Pryor – 5’10”, 190 lbs. – Cornelius (N.C.) William Amos Hough
(4*) Damir Collins – 5’9″, 185 lbs. – Portland (Ore.) Jefferson

Wide Receiver

The Big Fish: (5*) Troy Franklin – 6’2″, 170 lbs. – Menlo Park (Calif.) Menlo-Atherton

The Ducks missed on their opportunity to land a big signature from a high-profile wideout during the 2020 recruiting cycle when four-star prospect and long-time Duck commit Johnny Wilson spurned Oregon in favor of Arizona State during the early signing period this past December. With that, the door is open in the 2021 recruiting cycle for the Ducks to make the kind of major splash on offense that has been seen on defense the past two recruiting cycles with the signing of players like Kayvon Thibodeaux, Noah Sewell, and Justin Flowe. This year, that player is five-star recruit Troy Franklin. At 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds, Franklin’s is a taller receiver who possesses an array of skills somewhat reminiscent of DeSean Jackson from our perspective, particularly given his ability to stretch the field with tremendous speed and explosiveness. A potential game-changer in the return game to boot, Franklin would be an outstanding addition to an Oregon offense that for years has longed for a player the caliber of Franklin at the receiver position.

Other names to know:

(5*) Emeka Egbuka – 6’1″, 190 lbs. – Steilacoom (Wash.)
(4*) Dont’e Thornton – 6’5″, 185 lbs. – Baltimore (Md.) Mount Saint Joseph
(4*) Kyron Ware-Hudson – 6’1″, 200 lbs. – Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei – **OREGON VERBAL COMMIT**
(4*) Cristian Dixon – 6’2″, 187 lbs. – Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei
(4*) Denzel Burke – 6’0″, 189 lbs. – Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro
(N/A) Jacobi Moore – 6’4″, 185 lbs. – Gulfport (Miss.) Harrison Central
(3*) Michael Jackson – 6’0″, 198 lbs. – Las Vegas (Nev.) Desert Pines
(3*) Keontez Lewis – 6’2″, 180 lbs. – East St. Louis (Ill.)

Tight End

The Big Fish: (4*) Jermaine Terry – 6’4″, 235 lbs. – Richmond (Calif.) Kennedy

Tight end figures to be a position that is heavily emphasized for Cristobal and the Ducks during the 2021 cycle after they came up empty in addressing the position last year. The name that resides at the top of the tight end big board, in our minds at least, is Bay Area four-star prospect Jermaine Terry. Terry’s athletic 6-foot-4, 245-pound frame makes him a dangerous weapon as a pass catcher, but it’s his willingness and ability to be a force as a blocker that may ultimately distinguish him from other elite tight end prospects nationally. It’s important that Oregon receive an injection of new blood at tight end in 2021, and to that end, Terry would add serious life.

Other names to know:

(4*) Moliki Matavao – 6’6″, 240 lbs. – Henderson (Nev.) Liberty
(4*) Terrance Ferguson – 6’5″, 220 lbs. – Littleton (Colo.) Heritage

Offensive Line

The Big Fish: (4*) Kingsley Suamataia – 6’5″, 280 lbs. – Orem (Utah)

With six offensive lineman gone to graduation heading into 2020, the Ducks were active on the recruiting trail during the 2020 cycle in their pursuit of talent in the offensive trenches. With five players set to join the team this fall, Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal are well on their way to duplicating those efforts in 2021 as Oregon already has three verbal commits to this year’s class in Josh Simmons, Jackson Light, and Logan Sagapolu, who will return from his two-year Mormon mission later this year. However, perhaps the top offensive lineman on their board, and arguably the top overall player the staff is targeting this cycle, is four-star offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia; a 6-foot-5, 280-pound mountain who moves with the fluidity of a ballet dancer. A former high school teammate of Ducks true freshman linebacker Noah Sewell, Suamataia has strong ties to the Oregon program and is a player that could be well suited to take over for all-world left tackle Penei Sewell whenever he decides he’s ready to make millions at the NFL level.

Other names to know:

(4*) OT/OG Jonah Miller – 6’6″, 285 lbs. – Tucson (Ariz.) Salpointe Catholic
(4*) OT/OG Bram Walden – 6’4″, 270 lbs. – Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro
(4*) OT Reuben Fatheree – 6’8″, 305 lbs. – Richmond (Texas) Foster
(5*) OT Amarius Sims – 6’8″, 315 lbs. – Cochran (Ga.) Bleckley County
(4*) OG Bryce Foster – 6’5″, 318 lbs. – Katy (Texas) Taylor
(4*) OG Jager Burton – 6’4″, 271 lbs. – Lexington (Ky.) Frederick Douglass

Who to know in 2021: An early look at Oregon’s top recruiting targets on defense

Top Photo: Menlo Park (Calif.) Menlo-Atherton WR Troy Franklin (247Sports)