Ducks Digest

Priority Oregon Edge Target Elijah Rushing Sets Four Official Visits, Per Report

Elijah Rushing is arguably Oregon's top defensive target in the 2024 recruiting class.

Max Torres

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On Monday the Ducks got an important update on one of their priority defensive targets in the 2024 recruiting class.

Tucson (Ariz.) Salpointe Catholic edge rusher Elijah Rushing has locked in four official visits. The schools that will receive visits are Oregon, Notre Dame, Arizona and Tennesse, according to a report from Chad Simmons of On3 Sports.

Rushing's official visit to Oregon will fall on June 2 and he was just in Eugene for a few days starting on Sunday for a multi-day unofficial visit.

There was some buzz that he would take a visit for the spring game, but a source told Ducks Digest that he will no longer be in town this weekend due to a scheduling conflict with a high school prom. Ideally, it's nice to have a big-time recruit like him in attendance for the spring game, but rescheduling the visit gave the coaching staff the chance to give him plenty of one-on-one attention and really solidify their standing in his recruitment.

The 6-foot-6, 235-pound edge rusher has yet to set a commitment date, but my feel for this recruitment is that the Ducks still lead and it's hard to see another school taking over at this point. Not saying it can't happen, but the appeal of playing for Dan Lanning and Tosh Lupoi is what's really putting them over the edge. He's said so himself multiple times. 

"Definitely his mentality," Rushing told Ducks Digest about what makes Lupoi special. "That's the biggest thing that me and him talk about. He knows what it takes be at the next level. He coached up there. He coached Myles Garrett. He knows what it takes."

Depending on when he plans on making his commitment the staff would probably have preferred to get an official visit closer to that date, but I still think this is a recruitment Oregon can wrap up sooner rather than later.

Dan Lanning has prioritized taking the defensive line to the next level since he was hired and a commitment from Rushing would certainly help him do just that.

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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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