Oregon Ducks Recruiting: Nation's No. 2 Overall Recruit Visiting Eugene For Maryland Game

The Oregon Ducks and coach Dan Lanning are recruiting five-star edge rusher Richard Wesley. Wesley will see his first Oregon game at Autzen Stadium when the Ducks take on the Maryland Terrapins. Wesley is ranked as the nation's No. 2 overall recruit in the class 2027 and plays football at Sierra Canyon High School.

The Oregon Ducks will have one of the top recruits in the class of 2027, Richard Wesley, in attendance at Autzen Stadium on Saturday night. The No.1 ranked Ducks will host the Maryland Terrapins.

Richard Wesley Player Profile 

Richard Wesley is a 6-foot 5-inch edge rusher out of Chatsworth, California. Wesley is rated as a five-star prospect and ranked as the No. 1 edge rusher and No. 2 overall player in the class of 2027 per 247sports. 

Oregon Ducks Recruiting: Nation's No. 2 Overall Recruit Visiting Eugene For Maryland Game / @rich.g33kin on Instagram

National recruiting analyst Greg Biggins of 247sports had this to say about Wesley.

“He (Wesley) is the best edge prospect to come out of California since Kayvan Thibodeaux from the class of 2019,” Biggins said. “At the same stage, Wesley is bigger, just as athletic, and plays with a more consistent motor than Thibodeaux.”

Thibodeaux, of course, spent his collegiate career at Oregon and was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He is currently a member of the New York Giants and is one of the best up-and-coming pass rushers in the league. Could Wesley be the next great edge rusher for the Ducks?

“He’s all of 6-5, 255 pounds and is coming off a strong freshman year where he totaled 55 tackles and 10 sacks playing against one of the nation’s toughest schedules,” Biggins said.

Wesley plays for Sierra Canyon High School, and they have some notable great teams on their schedule in JSerra Catholic and St. John Bosco. In addition to football, Wesley also has ran track and played basketball.

“He has a basketball background, ran track this off-season, and has all the traits you want to see in a next-level pass rusher,” Biggins said.

Oregon Ducks Attempt to Remain Perfect 

Nov 2, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Jordan James (20) celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The 9-0 Oregon Ducks face the 4-4 Maryland Terrapins on Saturday. The Ducks were named the No. 1 team in the first reveal of the 2024 College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday night. 

With just three games remaining in the regular season of the inaugural season of the 12-team playoff, the Ducks are on the cusp of getting somewhere they haven’t been since the 2014-15 season: The College Football Playoff.

In all likelihood, if Oregon can win just one or two of their next three games, they will be sitting pretty for a spot in the playoff. Win all three and the Ducks are competing in the Big Ten Championship game. Don’t tell Dan Lanning and his team that. It’s all gas, no brakes until the finish line. 

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