Who says nothing grows in the desert?

Certainly not Mario Cristobal, who is finding the Desert Southwest – and in particular, the state of Arizona – to be especially fertile recruiting territory for the Ducks during the 2021 recruiting cycle.

With prospects such as four-star quarterback Ty Thompson and four-star offensive linemen Bram Walden and Jonah Miller already pledged to Oregon’s 2021 recruiting class, the Ducks added a fourth representative from the Grand Canyon State on Friday with addition of Chandler (Ariz.) three-star defensive end/outside linebacker Brandon Buckner.

“𝙱𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝚎𝚖 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚗, 𝚒𝚖𝚖𝚊 𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚖𝚢 𝚙𝚞𝚛𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚎…”
𝙲𝙾𝙼𝙼𝙸𝚃𝚃𝙴𝙳🙏🏾
𝙳𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙼𝚂 ➡️ 𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙻𝙸𝚃𝚈
𝚂𝙲𝙾𝙳𝚄𝙲𝙺𝚂 #𝙶𝙾𝙳𝚄𝙲𝙺𝚂 #𝚃𝙰𝙺𝙴𝙵𝙻𝙸𝙶𝙷𝚃𝟸𝟷 @coach_cristobal @CoachKWils @oregonfootball @CoachJsalavea @AADucksDC pic.twitter.com/jCpCiodw16

— Brandon Buckner (@brandonbuckner_) May 29, 2020

The son of 12-year NFL vet and current NFL assistant Brentson Buckner, Brandon Buckner is the fifth verbal commitment the Ducks have picked up in what has been a sizzling month of May for Oregon on the recruiting trail. Buckner is also the third defender to verbally commit to the Ducks’ current 10-man class, joining fellow future teammates at linebacker in four-star prospect Keith Brown and three-star prospect Terrell Tilmon.

Ranked as the 10th-best prospect in the state of Arizona, Oregon now boasts commitments from four of the state’s 10 best prospects (including three of the top five), as Buckner chose the Ducks after fielding offers from a number of schools in the Pac-12’s geographical footprint, including Arizona State, Arizona, Colorado, and Washington State. His commitment gives Oregon the nation’s 11th-best recruiting class in 2021 per 247Sports’ Composite Team Rankings.

Below we take a closer look at Buckner’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:

• Undersized, limited upside: While Buckner’s size belies the impact nature of his game, it does put him behind the 8-ball to a degree as you project him to the next level. Listed at 6-foot-1 and 234 pounds, Buckner is a sawed-off pass rusher who doesn’t really fit the physical profile of edge rushers in Andy Avalos’ defense. With his frame offering little more in terms of physical development, Buckner will need to consistently outwork and “out-intangible” his competition in order to secure a regular place in the Ducks’ defensive rotation.
• Limited versatility: Not only is Buckner undersized, but his range of skills on the field appears relatively limited to rushing the passer. On film, we don’t see many instances of Buckner dropping back and making plays in coverage or operating with proficiency in space. With that, his role could be one that is largely situational.

Notable strengths:

• Solid length: Buckner may not have the frame of a future NFL first rounder, but he does possess good length in the upper body and shows a real knack for gaining leverage. His body type is somewhat reminiscent of 2020 Oregon signee Bradyn Swinson, which should come as no surprise considering the two are relatives.
• Natural pass rushing instincts: When your daddy was a 12-year NFL veteran along the defensive line, there’s a good chance that the ability to rush the passer is in your DNA. That’s the case with Buckner, who demonstrates impressive natural pass rushing instincts. His ability to get off the line of scrimmage with quickness, coupled with his strength and savvy when bending the edge should make him one of the more polished young edge defenders on the Oregon roster.
• Active, uses hands well: You can tell that Buckner, in addition to being blessed with his father’s football instincts, has also been well schooled by the same man who has spent the last decade in the NFL as a defensive line coach. In particular, Buckner exhibits sharpness using quick hands to defeat blockers along with an active motor that regularly has him in the middle of the action.

Overall outlook:

Buckner is certainly an outlier as it relates to the physical prototype the Oregon coaching staff has gone out of its way to target the last few recruiting cycles. At 6-foot-1, Buckner is at least two inches shorter than any of the other edge rushers projected to be on the roster in the fall of 2021. He also doesn’t seem to possess an obvious skill or physical trait that would counteract the height disadvantage he has. However, if there is any coach who understands defensive personnel and how to maximize their contributions on that side of the ball, it’s hard to go wrong with Ducks defensive coordinator Andy Avalos. During his time as an assistant at Boise State, Avalos built a reputation on taking undersized and under-regarded prospects and molding them into difference makers, and Buckner fits that bill. Though most likely a redshirt candidate once he arrives on the scene in Eugene, Buckner has undeniable tools and natural ability that could make him a key rotational piece at the STUD position by the time he enters his second or third year with the program. From there, and especially in Buckner’s case, work ethic and skill development will go a long way in determining the outcome of his collegiate career.

Top Photo: Chandler (Ariz.) DE/OLB Brandon Buckner (YouTube.com)