Ducks Digest

Oregon Edge Rusher Commit Jaxson Jones Making Return Trip to Eugene

Jones pledged to Oregon in January and is the only defensive commit in the 2024 class.

Max Torres

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Get ready for recruiting to heat up this spring.

With the trail back open this month, the Oregon Ducks are making sure to recruit top players in 2024, especially ones that are already committed.

2024 Yuma (Ariz.) Yuma Catholic edge rusher Jaxon Jones will take a return trip to Eugene this weekend, announcing the visit on social media.

The edge rusher committed to Oregon in January as is one of the more exciting defensive prospects out West. He reeled in offers from Notre Dame, Michigan and Washington before committing to the Ducks. 

The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder was actually committed to Washington at one point, but chose to reopen his recruitment about a week before pledging to Dan Lanning.

Jones is the lone defensive commitment for the Ducks in 2024, but that's bound to change before long as they continue to pick up steam with top talent across the nation. It was important for Oregon to get him in the fold early as the defense struggle to get pressure on the quarterback and collapse the pocket throughout the 2022 season.

READ MORE: Oregon commit takes home MVP honors at Rivals Camp in Los Angeles

Even with some heavy reinforcements coming in the 2023 class, Dan Lanning and Tosh Lupoi aren't getting complacent and they're determined to win the battle at the line of scrimmage. 

He's locked in with Oregon despite continued attention from other schools.

"Basically every school that was recruiting me before, they're all still hitting me up. Trying to talk to me," Jones told Ducks Digest. "But I'm trying to be clear, I found my fit, I want to go to Oregon I don't want to go anywhere else.

He's the latest commitment for Oregon out of Arizona, a state that's become an growing priority of the Ducks in recent years after signing three recruits from the state in 2023. The staff did lose one of their top recruiting connections to the state last week, with assistant quarterbacks coach Jordan Somerville joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Lanning and company did however add Brian Michalowski to coach inside linebackers this offseason--luring him away from Oregon State. One of a number of new faces on the staff, he has roots in Arizona after graduating from Notre Dame High School in Scottsdale and should help the Ducks maintain a strong presence after also spending time on staff with Lanning at Arizona State.

The Ducks are pursuing a handful of other top prospects from Arizona, headlined by five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola and edge rusher Elijah Rushing among others. 

READ MORE: Five-star QB Dylan Raiola visiting Eugene for Oregon spring game

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Max Torres
MAX TORRES

Max Torres is the publisher and lead editor of Ducks Digest. He's covered the Oregon football and recruiting beats for four years. He's based out of Long Beach, CA and travels around Southern California and the country covering top high school football prospects.

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