Ducks Digest

2023 DE Jayden Wayne Recaps Oregon Visit

The Ducks made a huge impression on one of the top players in 2023, who got to meet Pro Ducks during his visit.

Dylan Reubenking

2023 5-star defensive end Jayden Wayne took an unofficial visit to Eugene this week. Wayne, a sophomore at Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Wash., is the No. 1 player in the state and the No. 4 defensive lineman in the country according to the 247Sports Composite.

Oregon grew interested in the 6-foot-5, 243-pound edge rusher when he was an eighth grader attending Oregon’s “Saturday Night Live” camp, led by Head Coach Mario Cristobal. Nearly two years later, Wayne returned to Eugene as the No. 13 player in the 2023 class and one of the most highly-coveted players, drawing nearly 30 offers from D1 schools.

Wayne arrived in Eugene Wednesday morning with his parents and younger brother and toured the campus with Director of Player Personnel Don Johnson and some assistant coaches.

“It was everything I imagined,” Wayne said of Eugene. “It’s like a small town. You have access to professors at all times. There’s a lot of school pride and Nike everywhere.”

Later that day, he met with Defensive Coordinator Tim DeRuyter and Defensive Line Coach Joe Salave’a, visited the weight room, and met with Mario Cristobal. He said his favorite part of the visit was “the vibes of all the coaches.”

“I was surprised by the whole coaching staff showing so much love,” Wayne said. “I’m not used to being around a head coach so much. He was always there. It felt like the whole staff was there.”

The Adidas All-American has made numerous visits this summer, including to in-state Washington, Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, and USC. He said the authenticity of Cristobal and the coaching staff sets Oregon apart from other schools.

“Coach Cristobal spent a lot of time with me and my family,” Wayne told Ducks Digest. “It never felt fake.

“The coaching staff said if I want to come to a place that pushes you to be a great student, person, and athlete, then come here.”

Wayne has spent time with legendary coaches like Nick Saban, Dabo Swinney, and Brian Kelly, but he said Cristobal is “as real as it gets.”

“He’s a family man,” Wayne said, mirroring what countless players have said about the Ducks' head coach. “He’s honest and believes in all of his players like they are his own kids.”

The Ducks' staff told Wayne that they believe he can fill the shoes of Kayvon Thibodeaux when he leaves for the draft. Wayne talked extensively with DeRuyter, watching film and discussing his potential fit on the Ducks' defense.

“He already has a plan for me,” Wayne said of DeRuyter. “He compared me to Kayvon and Von Miller, who he coached at Texas A&M.”

DeRuyter knows a thing or two about coaching pass rushers. As the defensive coordinator at Texas A&M, he helped Miller win the Butkus Award and become the No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft.

Wayne said DeRuyter and the Ducks' coaches like his length, athleticism, and quickness off the ball and would like to move him around on defense. His length and athleticism also come in handy as a standout basketball player at Lincoln, but he says he wants to focus on football.

Wayne got to meet Thibodeaux while on campus, as well as Oregon alumni and former first-round picks DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead. He picked their brains and snapped photos with the Oregon greats.

“DeForest told me I need to continually add to my game,” Wayne said. “He said hard work pays off and told me to never stop working.

“Arik talked to me about being a 5-star athlete and how I have to work every time I get to a new level. Stars don’t mean anything anymore.”

There will be a lot of eyes on Wayne as he competes in the second half of his high school career and narrows down his top schools. He said he doesn’t have a decision date yet but that he’ll have a top schools list soon.

Next up for Wayne, he has scheduled visits to Florida, Miami, LSU, and Penn State. He will return to Eugene this fall and will be in attendance for a practice and a game at Autzen Stadium.

If the Ducks land the 5-star edge rusher, he would be the highest-rated commit from Washington since Jonathan Stewart committed back in 2005 from Timberline High School in Lacey. The native of the Evergreen State has a great opportunity to compete for a national championship in the green and yellow.

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Dylan Reubenking
DYLAN REUBENKING

Dylan Reubenking is a graduate of the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication. He was a sports reporter for Duck TV Sports and a broadcaster for KWVA Sports 88.1 FM. He has dabbled in news and sports reporting, copyediting, graphic design, video production, podcasting, layout design, and more. Dylan is also the co-founder and publisher of The Transfer Portal CFB, a multimedia college football platform that launched in August 2021.

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