Recruiting: Football misses out on local talent, could still nab coveted edge-rusher

You win some, you lose some. Such is the case in all things sport-related, and recruiting is no exception.

Last week Oregon landed a commitment from four-star edge rusher Blake Purchase, who also held offers from Notre Dame, Iowa State, Colorado, and (shudder) Washington. The 6-foot-3 240-pound defensive end hails from Englewood, Colorado and is the 18th overall pledge in new head coach Dan Lanning’s inaugural class.

Unfortunately, the Ducks weren’t so fortunate when it came to four-star tight end and No.1 player in the state of Oregon’s 2024 class, Joey Olsen, who committed to Lincoln Riley and USC. Olsen, who plays for Lake Oswego, was predicted to pick between Oregon or Oregon State, but in the end chose to head to Los Angeles.

However, the Ducks remain right in the mix when it comes to the impending decision of five-star athlete Matayo Uiagalelei, who took a second, unofficial visit to Oregon to watch the Ducks clobber Eastern Washington on Saturday.

Uiagalelei, who was in the state to play against Central Catholic in Portland, also visited officially in June, and said after the game that he liked Oregon’s defensive scheme and saw himself fitting in well within it. He has no official timetable for his decision but noted that he may come to a conclusion by December.

Uiagalelei is being recruited primarily as an edge-rusher, but has also excelled as a tight end and is considered one of the most versatile athletes in the 2023 recruiting class.

Finally, Oregon five-star commit Dante Moore, a quarterback from Michigan, has just been named Sports Illustrated’s No.1 high school player in the class of 2023. SI calls more the most polished and complete quarterback in the 2023 class, which, given the talent that the class holds at the position, is definitely saying something.