It was exactly one month ago the last time the Ducks unofficially added a notable player to the football program, as Boston College graduate transfer Anthony Brown made the call for Oregon on April 1.

Since then, however, little has happened in an official capacity. The Ducks have apparently filled their previously open wide receivers coach position vacated by Jovon Bouknight (who took the same position at Kentucky) with former South Carolina assistant Bryan McClendon – a coach with deep ties to the South and a reputation as a dogged recruiter – but beyond that, it’s been a slow roll on the news front with COVID-19 casting an undeniable pall over daily life.

Yet, the previous month didn’t go out totally silent, as late Friday, Mario Cristobal and the Ducks added to their 2021 recruiting class with a commitment from Arlington (Texas) Mansfield Timberview three-star edge rusher Terrell Tilmon.

Dreams To Reality💚🦆 #ScoDucks #TakeFlight21 pic.twitter.com/7SvXQfNilD

— Trell🍐 (@TTilmon16) May 1, 2020

Tilmon pledges to Oregon after taking an unofficial visit to the school just before the country was essentially shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. He is the seventh member of Oregon’s 2021 class of verbal commitments, but is just the second defensive player to make the decision to be a Duck, joining Lebanon (Ore.) four-star linebacker Keith Brown. Tilmon is also the first Texan to commit to Oregon since defensive back Verone McKinley signed as a member of the Ducks’ 2018 recruiting class.

After garnering 19 offers to this point in the 2021 recruiting cycle, Tilmon commits to Oregon in light of notable offers from Baylor, Arizona State, Minnesota, and Texas Tech.

Below we take a closer look at Tilmon’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:

• Slender build: Listed at 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, Tilmon has progress to make when it comes to filling out physically. Though he has the frame to develop into an impressive edge defender, increasing his overall strength and improving his physique will be two of the biggest obstacles for Tilmon to tackle when he arrives in Eugene.
• Lacks an explosive first step: In addition to concerns about Tilmon’s physical size and stature, the Dallas area prospect doesn’t showcase the kind of lightning quick first step that would otherwise help counter some of the knocks against him physically. Attention to fundamentals with particular focus on the speed element of his game will be big for Tilmon at the next level.
• Needs to show more ability in pass coverage: It’s clear that Tilmon excels at or near the line of scrimmage, but if he hopes to see his role expand beyond that of a situational pass rusher, he’ll need to show more in coverage. Lack of coverage work on his junior year film suggests there’s room for growth in that department.

Notable strengths:

• Nice length: They say you can’t teach length and that’s exactly what you have in Terrell Tilmon. A long, limber athlete who is only scratching the surface in terms of his potential, Tilmon’s length should serve him well as he continues to fill out.
• Natural pass rushing skills: Though he may not possess the kind of explosive first step that leaps off the screen, Tilmon is clearly a natural when it comes to wreaking havoc behind the line of scrimmage. He should fit in nicely at outside linebacker in defensive coordinator Andy Avalos’ scheme.
• Good athleticism: Contributing to his natural skills as a pass rusher is Tilmon’s impressive athleticism. It doesn’t take long for him reach top speed and his ability to change direction in order to chase down ball carriers portends good things for his future.

Overall outlook:

The Ducks have added serious depth at edge rusher each of the past two cycles and that trend continues with the addition of Terrell Tilmon. Projecting ahead, Tilmon seems like a natural fit at the STUD linebacker position in Oregon’s defense, but he has work to do in order to be a player who makes an immediate impact in his first year on campus. We view Tilmon as a developmental prospect who will need to add strength and bulk to his wiry frame before receiving regular run on defense. In many ways, Tilmon reminds us of former Oregon edge rusher Justin Hollins, who also hails from the Dallas area and similarly arrived as a freshman with a slender build before emerging as one of the Ducks’ top defenders by the time his collegiate career came to a close. If Tilmon’s career can follow a similar trajectory, you can consider this a valuable addition to the Ducks’ 2021 recruiting class.

Top Photo: Arlington (Texas) Mansfield Timberview DE/OLB Terrell Tilmon (247Sports)