BOOM! Oregon picks up an offer for the first time in five months. Yes, that is five whole months. After this incredibly weird week with Ryan Kelley decommiting, the likely quarterback replacement Tate Martell decommiting from Texas A&M, and coaches subtweeting 17 and 18 year old kids, we can finally get back to some normalcy. RB CJ Verdell took to Twitter to commit to the Ducks.
✅✅✅@OregonRBCoach @CoachHelfrich @JHopkins247 @AndrewNemec pic.twitter.com/JDNwon1oMc
— Ceejayy⭐️ (@Cjverdell_) May 6, 2016
The 3-star running back committed to the Ducks while passing on offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Cal, and Colorado. Verdell is from Mater Dei Catholic (CA) and is ranked as the 50th best running back in the country. He has been considered as an Oregon lean for quite some time, so this commitment isn't a surprise to most people. The timing on his commitment is perfect and it is refreshing to Oregon fans. This commitment takes some pressure off of the coaching staff, for now.
The Skinny
CJ Verdell is a VERY talented back because he is very versatile. His junior year of high school, Verdell managed to gain 12.6 yards per carry and 28 TDs, 18.5 yards per reception and 5 TDs, and as a return man he scored 2 TDs. He was also all-conference as a junior. Versatility is an amazing skill to possess, but it's such a hard one to master. Verdell is definitley versatile and he can hurt you everywhere on offense if you aren't careful. It will be interesting to see his numbers his senior year once he gets a little bigger and now everyone will be younger than him.
This kid is fast. If he is out in space, you might as well get ready for the kickoff because he is gone. His speed is obvious, but something that stuck out was his break tackle ability. He is constantly getting hit and then spinning out of the tackles and being pulled back by his jersey and grinding for more yardage. This is a key for coaches, it shows how willing he is to gain that extra yard or two. Indicates how much of a competitor he is. For a shorter running back, 5-9, being able to spin off tackles and plow for extra yardage is impressive. Over this off-season he will be adding on more weight and kids are going to have an even harder time bringing him down.
Overall, Verdell is a great back and a commit Oregon badly needed. The Mater Dei Catholic product has all the tools to be a fit in Oregon's high-octane offense. I can see him filling a Byron Marshall type role. Regardless of where he plays, Oregon is a perfect fit for him and he will strive in this offense.
Check out CJ Verdell's highlights courtesy of Hudl: