2024 Quarterback Demond Williams Jr. Recaps Oregon Visit, Latest in Recruitment

The Ducks have brought some big names to Eugene for visits this month, highlighted by one of the top underclassmen out west.

Oregon has been contending for elite quarterbacks on the recruiting trail, and the next great could already be on campus in Ty Thompson, the highest-rated quarterback recruit to ever sign with the Ducks. 

Now that Auburn transfer Bo Nix is in the fold, the staff is hard at work evaluating prospective quarterbacks down the line. One player they recently brought hosted in Eugene is Demond Williams Jr., a 5-foot-11, 165-pound quarterback from Basha (Chandler, Ariz.) High School. The 4-star spoke with Ducks Digest about the trip and the latest in his recruitment. 

"I was with Coach [Jordan] Somerville and Coach Ryan Vidales. They just toured me around the school and campus and stuff," Williams said of the trip. "They really like me. It was very eventful and it was nice to have them with me showing me around."

Eugene is different from the rest of the country in a lot of ways, but the passion around the university and its athletics is undeniable. In fact, that's one aspect of Oregon that stands out most to the quarterback.

"The fanbase and the facilities," he said. "It feels like everybody is into the sports at Oregon. Everybody in Eugene is about sports. That’s kind of what I like, they’re really in tune to it."

College recruits nationwide are consistently in awe of the Ducks' world-class facilities such as the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex, and that's something any fan can tell you is largely due to the school's close relationship with Nike. 

"It's crazy how much money and stuff they put into the program and how much stuff they get exclusively," the Arizona native said of Oregon's relationship with Nike. "It does play a huge factor because there’s really nothing else in that town."

For those who aren't familiar with his play style, Williams is a quarterback with a knack for big plays. In the 2021 season he accounted for almost 3,300 total yards of offense, throwing for 2,632 yards and 20 touchdowns through the air and adding 14 touchdowns behind 644 rushing yards on the ground. 

"I got a pretty good deep ball. [I] make plays out of the pocket. Pretty fast," he said in evaluating himself as a player. "A good dual-threat that can do it all."

The opportunity to don Oregon's winged helmets and play in the top West Coast program is one many kids grow up dreaming about. While he doesn't currently hold an offer, it could very well be on the way with more one-on-one time with the coaching staff in the works. 

"I believe they’ll be at my high school tomorrow (Thursday) to watch me throw. I think Coach [Dan] Lanning and [Kenny] Dillingham."

Aside from Oregon, Williams has taken trips to Louisville, TCU and Arizona during his recruitment, and head north to Seattle this weekend to visit Washington for the first time.

I couldn't finish the interview without asking him for his thoughts on his teammate Cole Martin, a 2023 cornerback committed to play for his father Demetrice Martin and the Ducks. 

"He’s one of my best friends. He’s a competitor that has great instincts," he said of Martin. "A really fast kid that knows how to play the corner position really well."

*WATCH DEMOND WILLIAMS JR. HIGHLIGHTS HERE*

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