As Oregonians know so well, sometimes when it rains, it pours.
That’s the general feeling in Eugene these days, as the Ducks – still licking their wounds from a crushing loss at Oregon State this past Friday – were dealt another dose of souring news Monday when Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei four-star wide receiver Kyron Ware-Hudson announced on Twitter that he was de-committing from Oregon and staying close to home by verbally committing to USC.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMA❤️!!!! IM STAYING HOME!!!✌🏾❤️💛 #FightOn pic.twitter.com/FflBo9Vx3U
— KYRON WARE-HUDSON🇬🇧 (@kyron___hudson) November 30, 2020
Listed at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, Ware-Hudson, the nation’s no. 22-ranked receiver in the 2021 recruiting class, had been one of the longest standing verbal commitments for the Ducks this current cycle, having committed to Oregon nearly a year ago. His commitment also marked the continuation of a strong pipeline between the Oregon football program and SoCal high school powerhouse Mater Dei, which has sent a number of its stars north to Eugene in recent recruiting cycles, including Austin and Andrew Faoliu, Mase Funa, Sean Dollars, and Keyon Ware-Hudson – Kyron’s older brother.
The solid link between the Ware-Hudson family and the Ducks is what made Kyron’s decision to de-commit all the more surprising at first glance. However, when you consider the impact of COVID-19 and the desire for some high school prospects to stay closer to home as a result of the pandemic, Ware-Hudson’s decision comes into clearer focus.
With Ware-Hudson’s de-commitment, Oregon’s 2021 recruiting class currently ranks fifth nationally per 247Sports’ Composite Team Rankings. It also leaves the Ducks with three wide receivers currently committed to the program this cycle in four-star prospects Troy Franklin, Isaiah Brevard, and Dont’e Thornton.
Below, WFOD analyzes Ware-Hudson’s de-commitment and how it impacts the Ducks.
The glass half-empty look:
Monday’s news of Ware-Hudson de-commitment was met with equal parts surprise and disappointment for many Duck fans who had come to familiarize themselves with the Ware-Hudson family and what Kyron brings to the field. The Ware-Hudson family has been amongst the most ardent supporters of head coach Mario Cristobal and the Oregon program, thus Kyron Ware-Hudson’s de-commitment perhaps suggested a fracture in that relationship. The reporting that has been done around Ware-Hudson’s decision indicates that is not the case, but to lose a talent of Kyron’s caliber to a conference rival is a tough break nonetheless.
Though Ware-Hudson may not have the tantalizing upside of fellow receiver commits such as Franklin, Brevard, and Thornton, he was regarded by many (including this site) as perhaps the most polished and ready-made of those incoming players. His physical, mature build, coupled with his skills as a route-runner and reliable pass catcher separated him from the other wideouts in this class.
The glass half-full look:
Though de-commitments from long-standing prospects can be difficult to stomach, the sky in Eugene is by no means falling. Of the receivers that were/are committed to Oregon, Ware-Hudson was the lowest-rated recruit of the foursome. He was also a player who carried with him the most question marks in terms of how much he would actually improve between the time he arrived on campus and whenever he left. Not especially explosive or dynamic with the ball in his hands, Ware-Hudson’s perceived ceiling is lower than that of players such as Franklin, Brevard, and Thornton.
Not only that, but the Ducks look to be in pretty good shape moving forward with the receivers they’re not only expected to bring in, but with the players that could be in line to return in 2021. In addition to the freshman trio of Franklin, Brevard, and Thornton, the Ducks will almost certainly return contributors such as Devon Williams, Mycah Pittman, Kris Hutson, Josh Delgado, and Bryan Addison, and may very well get another season out of veterans Johnny Johnson and Jaylon Redd, who will have the option to return in 2021 due to NCAA rules allowing for 2020 to essentially count as a free year for all fall sport athletes.
Who are Oregon’s remaining options at wide receiver this cycle?
With Ware-Hudson no longer expected to be part of the Ducks’ recruiting plans in 2021, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them stand pat with the receiver commits they currently have. Many Oregon fans have wondered if the Ducks might re-enter the sweepstakes for Fresno (Calif.) Central East four-star Xavier Worthy, but it seems more likely that the Ducks will use the scholarship elsewhere.
Three-star JUCO product Jordan Moko could be a name to watch as we inch closer and closer to the end of the 2021 recruiting cycle. Ranked as the top JUCO offensive tackle in the country by 247Sports, the 6-foot-5, 335-pound native Australian would be a nice consolation prize if the Ducks are to expectedly fall short in their pursuit of Katy (Texas) Taylor four-star offensive lineman Bryce Foster.
Top Photo: Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei WR Kyron Ware-Hudson (247Sports)