There’s no doubt that these are strange times we’re living in.

With the coronavirus outbreak bringing life as we know it to an unprecedented standstill for the foreseeable future, there’s been little sense of normalcy in recent days. Even the tireless world of college football recruiting has been slowed some, as travel for coaches and prospects has been essentially reduced to zero due to the global epidemic. But that doesn’t mean the recruiting process has stopped completely.

On Monday, Gilbert (Ariz.) Mesquite four-star quarterback Ty Thompson provided a brief moment of distraction for Duck fans who have been following the recent news cycle, as the nation’s eighth-ranked pro-style passer pledged a verbal commitment to Oregon.

C O M M I T T E D#GoDucks | 💚💛 pic.twitter.com/4O0vIxY3jF

— ty thompson⛽️ (@ty_thompson7) March 16, 2020

Thompson secured his place in the Ducks’ 2021 class after taking an unofficial visit to Eugene late last week, just before things here in the United States began to grind to a halt. With his commitment, Thompson becomes the seventh member of Oregon’s 2021 recruiting class (which includes Logan Sagapolu, who will return from his Mormon mission in advance of the 2021 season), which currently ranks ninth in the nation, per 247Sports’ Composite Team Rankings.

Thompson chose the Ducks over notable offers from programs such as LSU, Miami (Fla.), Iowa, Iowa State, Michigan State, and Wisconsin, and joins Tyler Shough as the second quarterback to commit to Oregon from the Phoenix metro area in the last four recruiting cycles.

Below we take a closer look at Thompson’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:

• Needs to continue maturing physically: Listed at 6-foot-4 and an even 200 pounds, Thompson has the frame of a player who will eventually fill out and resemble your prototypical pocket passer, but he still has strides to make towards that end. Adding strength and bulk will need to be a focal point for Thompson as he makes the transition to the collegiate level.
• Not especially dynamic as an athlete: Though Thompson is a good athlete, he’s not quite the dual-threat quarterback that Oregon fans have grown accustomed to watching over the past decade plus. There’s just enough there for Thompson to be a threat on the ground, but he’s by no means a player who the Ducks will lean on to run the ball.
• Needs to improve accuracy: Thompson has all the physical tools you could ask for in a high school quarterback prospect, but there’s still work to be done when it comes to packaging it all together. This is particularly true for Thompson in terms of accuracy. As a junior last season, Thompson threw for over 4,000 yards and 45 touchdowns, but completed just 59 percent of his passes. 

Notable strengths:

• Effortless release, incredible arm strength: Few prospects in the 2021 class throw the ball as effortlessly as Thompson does on tape. His smooth, unfettered release is only outdone by the way the ball jumps out of his hand, as Thompson has the ability to truly threaten all levels of the defense with the brilliant arm talent his possesses.
• Mobile, throws well on the run: Though he’s not a Marcus Mariota-level threat running with the football, Thompson is athletic enough to move around the pocket and elude pressure by making plays with his feet. The 562 yards on the ground that he gained last year are evidence of that. However, what makes him even more dangerous is his knack for making plays with his arm when flushed from the pocket. Thompson’s live arm could make him a potential nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators.
• Throws with touch: Thompson may have a howitzer attached to his right shoulder, but it doesn’t mean he only knows one speed when it comes to throwing the football. On tape, Thompson exhibits outstanding touch, particularly downfield, and shows an ability and understanding to change speeds with his throws to ensure he’s delivering a catchable ball for his receivers.

Overall outlook:

The quarterback class of 2021 has been lauded as one of the deepest groups the position has produced in recent years, and in Ty Thompson, the Ducks did well to land a signal-caller with as much upside as any in this year’s class. When watching him on film, it’s virtually impossible not to fall in love with the physical tools that Thompson possesses. The promising frame, the huge arm, and the noteworthy athleticism provide Thompson with an outstanding foundation to build upon once he arrives on campus and begins training in a top-tier collegiate strength and conditioning program. And depending on how Tyler Shough, Cale Millen, Jay Butterfield, and Robby Ashford acquit themselves over the next year, the opportunity could be there for Thompson to make an instant impact should any of the aforementioned three falter. It seems far more likely, however, that Thompson will require some time to develop before coming into his own and taking the reins as the future starting quarterback for the Ducks. In time though, Thompson should emerge as a top contender for QB1 atop the Oregon depth chart and will be one of the more exciting young players on the roster to monitor as his football career unfolds.