Oregon commits start hashtag to recruit elite EDGE Elijah Rushing
After Tucson (Ariz.) Salpointe Catholic four-star EDGE Elijah Rushing decommitted from in-state Arizona in early October, Oregon immediately was the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine favorite to land the elite pass rusher.
Now, Oregon commits have taken to social media to recruit Rushing with the hashtag, ‘#Rushing2Eugene’.
Among those were Vancouver (Wash.) Evergreen four-star offensive tackle Fox Crader, Medford (Ore.) North Medford three-star tight end A.J. Pugliano and Phoenix Sunnyslope three-star quarterback Luke Moga.
Defensive culture in Eugene stands out
A week after his decommitment from Arizona, Rushing spoke with Josh Newberg on On3’s The Inside Scoop football recruiting show. He said that a draw to Oregon was the defensive culture of the staff in Eugene.
“I would just say the defensive expertise on the side of the ball with coach (Tosh) Lupoi and coach (Dan) Lanning,” Rushing said intrigued him about the Ducks. “Definitely just coaches who really know their craft. And kind of just got to see how they’ve taken guys from the past and developed them and put them in positions to succeed.
“Like I got to see Teitum (Tuioti) and Matayo (Uiagalelei) — the two freshmen — they got to get in and they were doing their thing as far as the two games I’ve seen them in. And then just kind of the culture that they have around there is always attacking. It’s an attack mindset. And as a defensive player, that’s what you want. That’s why you play that side of the ball, just to attack and get there.”
Oregon currently leads with a 91.3% chance to land Rushing’s commitment, according to the On3 RPM. Multiple recruiting experts have logged predictions favoring the Ducks in this recruitment.
Rushing is the nation’s No. 35 overall prospect in the 2024 cycle according to the On3 Industry Ranking — a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 5 EDGE and No. 1 player in Arizona.
Elijah Rushing Scouting Summary
On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings Charles Power writes this about Rushing as a prospect:
“Tall, angular pass rusher with the ability to get after the passer due to his quickness and length. Measured between 6-foot-5 and 6-foot-6 and around 230 pounds as a junior. Has solid length for the position. Productive pass rusher who feasts on mismatched offensive linemen. Primarily lines up wide both in a three-point stance and as a stand-up rusher. Plays with good quickness.
“Shows an effective long arm getting his hands inside the body of opposing offensive linemen. Plays with a good effort level and chases the ball as a pursuit defender. Productive as a junior, notching 11.5 sacks. A solid, not spectacular athlete at the position. Can play high and stand to add functional strength. Was neutralized when facing Power 5 offensive line prospects as a junior.”
The 6-foot-6, 225-pound Rushing currently has an On3 NIL Valuation of $180,000. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets high school and college athletes’ projected annual value (PAV). The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.