Oregon Focuses on Arizona Recruiting
In 2023 Oregon landed multiple Arizona prospects, including 4-stars Cole Martin and A’Mauri Washington, and 3-star My’Keil Gardner.
Oregon’s success in the Desert goes way back. Most recently, the Ducks were able to land 2022 4-star receiver Kyler Kasper, 2021 5-star quarterback Ty Thompson, 2018 4-star quarterback Tyler Shough and 2017 3-star wideout Johnny Johnson III.
And the Grand Canyon State is well stocked again for 2024. Dylan Raiola, a 5-star plus prospect whom some list as the No. 1 recruit in the country, resides in Phoenix.
Raiola, who backed off his Ohio State pledge in December, is looking hardest at Georgia, Nebraska, USC and Oregon. Oregon is viewed as the fourth-place team right now, but the Ducks have kept themselves alive in Raiola’s recruitment despite changing offensive coordinators.
The No..17 player in the country in the On3 Consensus, Elijah Rushing, is from Tucson. Rushing has been to Eugene multiple times, and the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine lists the Ducks as his likeliest out-of-state destination.
Chandler 4-star corner Miles Lockhart, ranked as the No. 5 player in the state, is a third Oregon target. Lockhart has a summer official visit to Ohio State scheduled, and the Buckeyes are seen as the current favorite.
Oregon is running second, according to the RPM, and will most likely get an official visit from Lockhart.
Also from Chandler is 4-star running back Ca’Lil Valentine, who reportedly enjoyed his Junior Day visit to Oregon on Jan. 28. In-state programs Arizona and Arizona State lead for Valentine in the RPM.
Current Oregon commit and 4-star edge Jaxson Jones hails from Yuma. Jones, who recently got his fourth star, pledged to Oregon shortly after decommitting from Washington.
3-star corner Aundre Gibson of Goodyear recently placed Oregon in his top 4. Washington, Oregon State and Kansas are the other three.
Arizona has a slight lead over Oregon in the RPM, but there’s no guarantee Oregon will take Gibson this early in the cycle.
Two other notable talents in Arizona are 3-star tight end Dillon Hipp of Scottsdale, who visited Oregon in January; and 3-star athlete Dylan Tapley, another January visitor to Eugene.
