Oregon Football 2023 Recruiting Big Board

Taking a look at the top prospects the Ducks have their eyes on in the class of 2023 as coaches are now able to speak with recruits.

SI Editorial | Aug 31, 2021

It's officially September 1, at least on the East Coast, and the class of 2023 is now on the clock. Here are the recruits we believe the Ducks should prioritize on the recruiting trail, many of which have already been on campus in Eugene.

Quarterback

-Dante Moore, Martin Luther King High School (Detroit, MI)

Moore is one of the top talents in the entire country for 2023. The Ducks haven’t had a ton of success in Michigan, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t swing for the fences. They got in relatively early here with an offer, now they’ll look to get him on campus.

-Pierce Clarkson, St. John Bosco High School (Bellflower, CA)

Some people see Bosco and have flashbacks to missing out on DJ U. Fortunately for the Ducks their presence in Southern California is strong and they have the chance to not let this one get away. Clarkson is a really strong talent that can do it and he told me when I stopped by practice in July that he wants to get up to Eugene.

-William Watson III, Springfield Central High School (Springfield, MA)

It’s rare to see Oregon going after a Massachusetts player, but Watson is impressive on the field. He participated in Oregon’s SNL camp at the end of July and wants to make a return this season, telling Ducks Digest that he loved everything about his visit.

-Javance Tupou’ata-Johnson, Notre Dame High School (Mission Hills, CA)

Tupou’ata-Johnson impressed at SNL camp and was offered shortly after. It looks like the offer from Oregon meant a lot to him, as he has a picture with him wearing a No. 8 Oregon jersey next to Marcus Mariota near Autzen attached to the tweet announcing the offer.

Running Back

-Roderick Robinson, Lincoln High School (San Diego, CA)

Robinson is a huge name to know here. Given the Ducks’ presence in San Diego and his high school with Jahlil Florence and Jalil Tucker it’d make sense for Oregon to make Robinson their guy. Originally from Greenville, South Carolina, Robinson has college size at 6-foot-1, 225 pounds and experience playing against strong competition

-Jayden Limar, Lake Stevens High School (Lake Stevens, WA)

Limar might be a lesser known name coming from the Pacific Northwest, but he made it out for a visit this summer which shows he has some interest. Limar has a lot of Pac-12 offers and is one of the top players in Washington. Get a great player and keep him away from the Huskies. Sounds like a win-win.

-Sedrick Irvin Jr., Gulliver Prep (Miami, FL)

Irvin is one of the top talents at the running back position in the 2023 class, and the Ducks offered him early. He built a connection with Mario Cristobal on his visit in June, talking to him about how they both grew up in Miami.

-Kamron Taylor, Jurupa Hills (Fontana, CA)

Taylor visited Eugene for SNL camp in July, and the trip was a dream come true for the stud back. He said that while he has a number of big offers, including Florida State, Arizona, and UNLV, he would put Oregon in his top five schools.

Other names to watch:

-Richard Young, Lehigh Senior High School (Lehigh Acres, FL)

Young is the top-rated running back in the class and has an offer from Oregon. You won't see many offer sheets more packed than his — 41 schools have offered the Florida back. He placed Oregon in his top 10 early in August, along with in-state Miami, Florida State, and Florida, as well as Pac-12 rival USC.

-Rueben Owens, El Campo High School (El Campo, TX)

Owens is one of the most talented all-purpose players in the nation and is an absolute touchdown machine. He scored four touchdowns in El Campo's season-opening win against Gonzales. Owens, who decommitted from Texas in June, visited USC, LSU, Georgia, and Alabama.

Wide Receiver

-DeAndre Moore Jr.,Los Alamitos High School (Los Alamitos, CA)

Moore was on campus for SNL and is one of the best receivers in the country for 2023. After transferring from Desert Pines in Las Vegas, where the Ducks are reeling in top talent, he’s sure to have just about every school in the country after him.

-Jurrion Dickey, Valley Christian High School (San Jose, CA)

Dickey has seen his stock skyrocket on the recruiting trail since putting on a show at The Opening as one of the top 2023 prospects in attendance. He attends the same school as Byron Marshall did and is one of the best wide receivers on the West Coast. It was big for the staff to get him on campus early and he has serious interest in the Ducks.

-Johntay Cook II DeSoto High School (DeSoto, TX)

The Ducks got in on this recruitment back in April and likely have some ground to make up after a busy summer that included trips to the major in-state programs and Alabama. The connection with Stephon Johnson Jr. being his teammate certainly won’t hurt.

-Zachariah Branch, Bishop Gorman High School (Las Vegas, NV)

Branch is the younger brother of Zion Branch, one of the top safeties in the country. The Ducks were involved a bit early there, but don’t seem to be in the picture now. Maybe they can flip the script with his brother, a dynamic wideout with a lot of switch and the ability to knife through opposing secondaries.

-Deric English, Saguaro High School (Scottsdale, AZ)

English is an impressive talent at wide receiver, and he has the length the Ducks are prioritizing at 6-foot-3. Add in that he goes to Saguaro, one of the top programs on the West Coast where the Ducks found Jaylan Jeffers and Bram Walden and Oregon could be a major player here.

-Kyler Kasper, Williams Field High School (Mesquite, AZ)

Kasper was busy checking out schools this summer and made stops to check out Arizona, Arizona State, UCLA, and Iowa. Standing at 6’5”, the Adidas All-American is a strong athlete with good bounce and will likely see more offers come in with a strong junior season. The Ducks have been dominant in Arizona, so naturally this seems like another good choice.

Tight End

-Duce Robinson, Pinnacle High School, (Phoenix, AZ)

I got to see Robinson at The Opening this summer and he was one of the top performers regardless of class. He’s absolutely massive at 6-foot-6, 225 pounds and is an athlete in every sense of the word, further evidenced by his playing three sports-- basketball and baseball are the other two. He took trips to the likes of Oklahoma, Georgia, Alabama and Clemson over the summer, so the Ducks should prioritize getting him out to Eugene for a game.

-Walker Lyons, Folsom High School (Folsom, CA)

Lyons visited Oregon for SNL and was a strong offensive performer. Coming from Folsom, he plays some high level competition and his team is in the running for a state title seemingly every year. The Ducks have had success in his neck of the woods, landing Spencer Webb in 2018. Maybe the Ducks want to prioritize tight end more in 2023, as it looks like they’re squared away with Andre Dollar in 2022.

-Riley Williams, Central Catholic High School (Portland, OR)

The state of Oregon doesn’t produce talent like California or the rest of the country, so when there are high level prospects worth watching, the Ducks want to keep them at home. Williams was on campus for SNL and has a lot of value getting yards after the catch in the passing game. I’d like to see him finish more blocks, but he's still definitely a name worth watching.

Offensive line

-Spencer Fano, Timpview High School (Provo, UT)

Fano was another visitor for the Ducks at SNL and he more than held his own against the likes of seniors top target Cyrus Moss and Oregon commit Gracen Halton. He could definitely stand to add some weight to his frame at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, but he’s got the tenacity and grit we’ve come to expect in Cristobal and Mirabal’s offensive linemen. The state of Utah has been very kind to Oregon with some strong talent, so expect him to be one of Oregon’s first calls when the clock hits midnight on September 1.

-TJ Shanahan, Westlake High School (Austin, TX)

Shanahan is a massive target in the 2023 class that recently transferred to Westlake for his junior season. After two years of going toe-to-toe against elite recruits in the talent-rich state of Florida, you know he’s going to face tough competition in Texas. He’s physical and nasty as a blocker and would fit in nicely in Eugene. He was all over the country for trips this summer, but has suggested that he should be back in Eugene sooner than later.

-Landen Hatchett, Ferndale High School (Ferndale, WA)

The Washington lineman made it out to Eugene for a visit this season but is still in the early stages of his recruitment. Offers from Oklahoma and Michigan suggest more could be on the way. The talent level in the Pacific Northwest, particularly Washington is on the rise and is worth some attention.

-Iapani Laloulu, Farrington High School (Honolulu, HI)

If the last name looks familiar, that’s because this is Faoope’s brother. Hawaii has made a name for itself, particularly in the trenches, and the Ducks would love to keep that pipeline flowing with the state’s top prospect. With TJ Bass having the chance to pursue the NFL after this season it could be a solid addition to the interior of the offensive line.

Other names to watch:

-Francis Mauigoa, IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)

IMG Academy has a rich history of producing elite talent, especially at offensive line with players like Evan Neal, Tyler Booker, and JC Latham being highly-recruited out of the powerhouse. Mauigoa is next, and he plays along the offensive and defensive lines with his massive 6-foot-6, 325-pound frame.

-Knijeah Harris, IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)

Harris has a lot of interest from schools in Florida and the Southeast, but Oregon was the only West Coast school to stick in his top 12. Cristobal and his staff have snagged talent from IMG Academy before in wide receiver Josh Delgado, and the state of Florida is a landmine for talent.

Defensive line

-Jayden Wayne, Lincoln High School (Tacoma, WA)

Wayne is one of the biggest targets for the Ducks in 2023 on either side of the ball. He is as athletic a defensive end as you'll find, and he has a massive offer sheet topping 30 schools. He visited Eugene in June and got to chop it up with Oregon legends DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead. Jimmy Lake and the Huskies are fighting to keep the top talent in the state, and what a treat it would be for Oregon to steal yet another elite player from the Seattle area.

-Matayo Uiagalalei, St. John Bosco High School (Bellflower, CA)

Arguably the biggest name on the entire West Coast, Uiagalalei is a do-it-all talent and a force on both sides of the ball--he can reel in highlight reel catches as tight end/receiver hybrid. He told me he’s looking to focus in on one position for college, but I’d imagine he’d have his choice at the next level. The Ducks definitely have a lot of work to do here to catch up to schools like Clemson and other SEC programs he visited over the summer.

Other names to watch:

-Joel Starlings, Benedictine High School (Richmond, VA)

Starlings took visits all over the eastern United States this summer, including trips to North Carolina, West Virginia, South Carolina, and Clemson, but the Ducks are hoping to bring the Virginia native to Eugene. Oregon has offered a number of East coast guys with hopes to recruit elite talent from coast to coast, and Starlings is a beast in the trenches.

Linebacker

-Leviticus Su’a, Mater Dei High School (Santa Ana, CA)

The Ducks definitely want to keep that Mater Dei pipeline going, and Su’a is a very impressive prospect. Su’a moves well for a linebacker, has a strong nose for the football, and is a reliable tackler. His offer sheet is approaching ten, with schools like Tennessee and Miami hopping on board of late. The Ducks got him on campus over the summer, so they’re off to a good start.

-Tre Edwards, Mater Dei Catholic (Chula Vista, CA)

We go to the other Mater Dei for this talented backer. Edwards is a solid run-stopper and can drop into coverage — a valuable skillset for today's college football. He is being courted by a number of Pac-12 programs, including in-state USC and Cal.

-Raylen Wilson, Lincoln High School (Tallahassee, FL)

Wilson is a dual-sport athlete, burning rubber on the track and field team and blowing plays up at the line of scrimmage on the football team. You won't find many high school players as jacked as Wilson, who included Oregon in his top 12 schools. Having Florida State in his backyard will be tough to overcome, but the Ducks are adamant about bringing players from the Sunshine State to the West Coast.

Cornerback

-Caleb Presley, Rainier Beach High School (Seattle, WA)

The Ducks have another golden opportunity to steal one of the best players in Washington state from the Huskies, but they also have to worry about the Cougars, who offered him as well. Presley is not just being courted by Pac-12 schools; he has offers from Notre Dame, Alabama, Oklahoma, and more than a dozen others. The Ducks got him on campus in July, as he was in attendance for the SNL camp.

-Daylen Austin, Long Beach Polytechnic High School (Long Beach, CA)

Another player that visited Eugene for SNL, Austin is a taller and longer corner at 6-foot-2. Nine Pac-12 schools have offered him, as well as Georgia, Michigan State, Notre Dame, and San Jose State. He racked up the frequent flyer miles this summer, traveling to Georgia, Arizona State, and Washington.

-Tony Mitchell, Thompson High School (Alabaster, AL)

Mitchell is one of the highest-rated players in Alabama and one of the top corners in the country. Oregon has built a strong pipeline in Alabama, recently landing commitments from Tanner Bailey and TJ Dudley. Mitchell has more than 30 offers and will only bring in more as the cycle goes on.

Safety

-RJ Jones, St. John Bosco High School (Bellflower, CA)

Oregon always keeps an eye on the elite talent coming from Bosco, and Jones is no exception. The Ducks offered the versatile safety in March of 2020, and he was on campus shortly after and right before the pandemic shut recruiting visits down. It's hard to imagine that the Ducks won't be one of the first teams on the phone with him.

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Published Aug 31, 2021

SI EDITORIAL