If you’re a person who is into picking nits, let us introduce a worthy challenge in the form of Oregon’s sparkling 2021 recruiting class.

In fact, if you’re finding yourself unsatisfied with what Mario Cristobal and his coaching staff have accomplished on the recruiting trail to this point in the cycle, you may just be a person who is impossible to please.

Indeed, by any historical measure, the Ducks are on pace to sign their best recruiting class in program history. And the potential cherry on top of that proverbial and towering sundae unofficially arrived Friday, as Menlo Park (Calif.) Menlo-Atherton four-star wide receiver Troy Franklin announced his verbal commitment to Oregon.

Four-star WR Troy Franklin selected #GoDucks over Washington, Alabama and Arizona State during an announcement made on Instagram Live at 6:12 pm. pic.twitter.com/TUwB451Z4i

— Aaron J. Fentress (@AaronJFentress) June 13, 2020

Ranked as the nation’s second-best receiver and the no. 31 overall prospect in the 2021 class per 247Sports’ Composite Rankings, Franklin becomes the second wide receiver to commit to the Ducks this cycle, joining fellow four-star prospect and California native Kyron Ware-Hudson. Franklin now effectively serves as the headliner for a recruiting class that has quickly emerged as one of the nation’s best after Oregon has picked up eight high-profile verbal commitments since May 1.

Franklin’s commitment gives the Ducks the nation’s eighth-best recruiting class per 247Sports’ Composite Team Rankings, as the Bay Area product chooses Oregon over more than 20 offers from the likes of Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, USC, and Washington.

Below we take a closer look at Franklin’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:

• Slightly built: Checking in at 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds, Franklin has a quality frame to work with, but has progress to make when it comes to filling it out. Adding at least 10 to 15 pounds of muscle throughout the course of his collegiate career will be key in helping Franklin maintain durability whilst facing the rigors of collegiate competition at the Power 5 level.
• Lacks physicality: His slight build notwithstanding, Franklin also lacks physicality with the ball in his hands or while serving as a perimeter blocker. In fairness, his game will never be predicated on those things, but these are areas in which he’ll need to make notable improvements in order to become the well-rounded receiver he’s very capable of being.

Notable strengths:

• Gamebreaking speed: A sliver of daylight is all Troy Franklin needs to punish a flat-footed defense. The Bay Area native is one of those rare athletes that combines a long, smooth stride with great elusiveness and suddenness off the line of scrimmage. A handful to guard in one-on-one situations, Franklin is deservingly considered one of the nation’s top prep playmakers at the wide receiver position in the 2021 class.
• Natural pass catcher: Not only is Franklin a smooth operator with the ball in his hands, but he’s an effortless pass catcher to boot. On film, there’s not a lot of bobbling or second-catching that takes place when Franklin gets his mitts on the rock. He routinely catches the ball cleanly, making him a trustworthy receiving option.
• Good route runner: Even the best high school receivers struggle with the finer points of game such as route running, but Franklin seems to demonstrate a solid grasp of the importance of crisp route running when evaluating his tape. He’s by no means a finished product in this regard, but his base level is higher than most of his peers, which could give him even more of a leg up on playing time should he continue honing this skill as he transitions to college.

Overall outlook:

Per 247Sports, only Cameron Colvin ranks higher than Troy Franklin when it comes to the highest-rated receivers to ever commit to the University of Oregon. However, Duck fans no doubt hope that Franklin’s career as a Duck proves to be far more fruitful than that of Colvin’s when it’s all said and done.

For years, the wide receiver position has been one in which the Ducks have struggled to recruit, land, and develop top end talent. It certainly hasn’t been for a lack of effort, as names like JuJu Smith-Schuster, Keenan Allen, and Jaylen Waddle represent some of the most notable narrow misses the Ducks have suffered on the recruiting trail in recent cycles. With Franklin’s commitment, however, that tide could be changing.

An electrifying presence on the outside, Franklin’s stature and style of play is somewhat reminiscent of former Oklahoma receiver and 2020 NFL first-round pick CeeDee Lamb. Of course, it remains to be seen whether Franklin can offer the kind of gaudy production that Lamb was responsible for while in Norman, but rest assured that the talented Franklin will be given every opportunity to make a splash once he arrives in Eugene. With veterans Johnny Johnson and Jaylon Redd set to graduate at the end of the 2020 season, the door is wide open for Franklin to step into a starting role alongside prospective 2021 stars at wide receiver in Devon Williams and Mycah Pittman.

Top Photo: Menlo Park (Calif.) Menlo-Atherton WR Troy Franklin (Troy Franklin/Twitter)