Oregon Target J.T. Tuimoloau Sets Official Visit Schedule

Can the Ducks reel in their top remaining target in the 2021 class?

The most-watched recruitment in the 2021 class is one step closer to an end. And it's not a top list or a commitment. 

5-star defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau from Sammamish, Washington's Eastside Catholic High School, has filled up his June calendar with five official visits. That includes a trip to Eugene to see the Oregon Ducks on June 20-22.

Hayes Fawcett shared Tuimoloau's visit plans on Twitter.

The #1 Player in the Class of 2021, J.T. Tuimoloau will take his official visits to the following schools this summer (H/T 247Sports) :⁣
⁣
Washington- June 4-6⁣
USC- June 14-16⁣
Ohio State- June 18-20⁣
Oregon- June 20-22⁣
Alabama- June 25-27⁣@JT_tuimoloau pic.twitter.com/pNLrJRoMvM

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) May 28, 2021

Tuimoloau will visit each of his five finalists, starting with the school closest to home.

1. Washington (June 4-6)
2. USC (June 14-16)
3. Ohio State (June 18-20)
4. Oregon (June 20-22)
5. Alabama (June 25-27)

A visit schedule is far from insignificant. Some say the order a recruit visits schools can hint at a their interest level in said schools. However, whether that's actually the case is something only the recruit truly knows with any certainty.

Let's break down each team in the order they will receive a visit.

Washington

Here we have the hometown school, but I see Washington as a team on the outside looking in. The Huskies have brought in big names recently such as local 5-star Washington products Sam Huard (QB) and Sav'ell Smalls (OLB). 

The team has been hot-and-cold on the recruiting trail, finishing the last three cycles (2019-2021) ranked 16, 17 and 36 nationally. Jimmy Lake led the team to a 3-1 record in his first year as head coach in a shortened COVID season.

The Huskies are still trying to hang on to their short run as the Pac-12's top team after making the College Football Playoff in 2016, where they lost to Alabama 24-7. 

Say what you will about the team overall, but the Huskies have rooted their identity in solid defenses year after year and continue to send players to the NFL. 

USC

USC has the allure of a traditional blue blood, a program that hit its peak during the early 2000s winning national championships with Pete Carroll. After signing a 2020 class that ranked in the 60s and worst in the Pac-12, the Trojans just started to get their act together on the recruiting trail. 

The've already signed a 5-star defensive lineman in 2021's Korey Foreman from Corona, California. The argument could be made that this would take the spotlight off of Tuimoloau and make things a little crowded on the defensive line should he take his talents to Los Angeles. 

USC produced first-round draft pick Leonard Williams just a few years back, who is starring for the New York Giants. The program also developed Jay Tufele, who was taken in the fourth round by the Jacksonville Jaguars in this year's NFL Draft.

Looking at the current roster, the Trojans have Drake Jackson, who is one of the best defensive linemen in the Pac-12 and should be a high draft pick in 2022. Clay Helton can sell the tradition, the LA sunshine, and development.

His team has a more realistic shot than Washington.

Ohio State

Ohio State has spent its fair share of Tuimoloau's recruitment being viewed as the favorite, but no one can say for sure aside from JTT himself. 

The Buckeyes have perhaps an even stronger pitch for development than the Trojans, having produced elite edge rushers in the Bosa brothers, both of which were top ten draft picks and are viewed as some of the top defensive linemen in the NFL. 

Ohio State has stellar pass rushers and talent along the defensive front every season. Ryan Day took his team to the National Championship last year and the Buckeyes consistently sign top-five classes.

We could see the talent attracts talent argument come into play here. Tuimoloau could also play alongside All-BIG-Ten selections Haskell Garrett and Zach Harrison.

Oregon

The Ducks are the defending Pac-12 champions, having reigned over the conference each of the past two seasons. For what it's worth, they snagged last year's title from USC after the Trojans had won five straight games and entered the showdown with an undefeated record.

And who was one of the players that shined brightest for Oregon?

It was defensive lineman Kayvon Thiobdeaux, who has recorded a phenomenal 18 quarterback pressures, 10 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in two Pac-12 Championship Games. There's no doubt that KT will be the centerpiece of Oregon's pitch for the No. 1 player in Washington.

Thibodeaux has been projected to go first overall in some 2022 NFL mock drafts and  is the crown jewel of Oregon's defense. Should he be selected with the No. 1 pick he would make it three consecutive years that the Ducks produce a top-ten pick (Herbert and Sewell). 

The departure of one of the nation's top pass rushers would also create a major need on the defensive line, which Tuimoloau would fill perfectly. 

With regard to his visit, it's worth mentioning that Tuimoloau visited Oregon's 2021 spring football practice that was open to the public on April 17, the same weekend Ohio State and Alabama were holding their spring games. Both of those were open to the public, which shows how serious he is about the Ducks and what Mario Cristobal is building.

The timing of his upcoming official visit is significant, as every program wants to get the last visit to make their strongest pitch and be the most recent visit on a recruit's mind. The Ducks would have loved to get the last visit here, but when you're going up against the likes of Alabama and Ohio State, you'll take second to last. 

Oregon has continued to inject elite talent into its defense, including the likes of Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year Noah Sewell. Justin Flowe looks like he's next in line to build one of the scariest defenses in the conference and potentially the country.

It's also worth mentioning there is a strong tradition of Polynesian players being showcased on elite teams in Eugene, and Defensive Line Coach Joe Salave'a brings NFL pedigree to the table. 

The Ducks not only have Sewell's Outland Trophy to pitch, but also four winners of the Morris Trophy (Pac-12's top offensive and defensive linemen) in the last six years. If Tuimoloau chooses Oregon, he knows he'll be playing for a coach that prioritizes trench play.

If he wants to stay closer to home and help put the West Coast back on the map, Oregon is as good a fit as any.  

Read more: Making the case for J.T. Tuimoloau to Oregon

Alabama

The defending national champions are once again in the running for a top national talent. 

Is anyone the least bit surprised?

There's not a lot to say that you probably don't already know when it comes to the Crimson Tide. Nick Saban is the single greatest coach college football has ever seen. He signed the highest-ranked class in program history in 2021 and is still in position to add to that. 

Alabama tied with Ohio State for the schools with the most players selected in the 2021 NFL Draft--each having 10 players taken. Defensive tackle Christian Barmore was selected with the 34th pick by the New England Patriots. 

It's hard to say Alabama is any worse than No. 2 in Tuimoloau's recruitment.  

Saban has the easiest recruiting pitch in all of college football: If you want to go to the league, play with the best, and win a national championship, you go to Alabama.

Can Oregon overcome that? 

It'll be tough, but Mario Cristobal is certainly up to the task and will have the Ducks in the running until the very end.

Tuimoloau has yet to announce a decision date, but will likely enroll at the school of his choice soon after that decision ahead of fall camp.

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