For years, Oregon coaches said that as long as prospective athletes made the visit, saw the facilities, uniforms and overall natural beauty of their Pacific Northwest campus, the Ducks could contend for any player in the country.
But even if Oregon’s best selling point is that in-person experience, the Ducks staff obliterated any notion that it’s a must by delivering the 2021 class. In a nearly completely remote recruiting year, Oregon zoomed its way to a program-best No. 6 finish nationally.
But now those face-to-face interactions are back on the table, and The Athletic is following every movement with this commitment tracker. Here’s a look at who Oregon has so far, with the most recent commitments listed first (all rankings per the 247Sports Composite):
National rank (as of June 28): 18
Pac-12 rank: 2
Players committed: 10
Players committed so far in June: 2
TJ Dudley, LB
Hometown: Montgomery, Ala.
High School: Montgomery Catholic Preparatory
Ranking: No. 199 overall, No. 23 LB
Commitment date: June 28, 2021
By pulling Dudley out of Alabama and away from the Crimson Tide, who were among his finalists, Oregon secured the services of a top-200 overall linebacker for the fifth consecutive season. Dudley is 6-foot-1, 220 pounds and is the second player from Alabama — Tanner Bailey being the first — this cycle whom Oregon earned a commitment from over the home-state Crimson Tide. Dudley also considered UCF, but Oregon was viewed as the front-runner since his June 4 official visit.
Sco ducks? I loved every bit of it, I’ll be back? @CoachKWils @CoachDonJ @CoachJsalavea @CoachKwameUO @coach_cristobal @JRMoala @CoachJ_Ortiz @KirkBarron73 @SamPopper_ @CoachKPerk @TimDeRuyter @coachfeld @CoachWoodiel @BallCoachJoeMo @CoachMirabal @CoachBDub @CoachYates77 pic.twitter.com/idr64RjMjy
— Tj “bull” Dudley (@HollywoodHtu) June 8, 2021
Sir Mells, DT
Hometown: Henderson, Nev.
High School: Liberty
Ranking: No. 789 overall, No. 111 DL
Commitment date: June 5, 2021
When Mells decommitted from Washington in March, the 310-pound three-star defensive lineman said he wanted the opportunity to meet face-to-face with other schools, especially as his recruiting stock rose following his December pledge to the Huskies.
“The energy is just different,” Mells said of in-person recruiting. “Only a handful of students get the opportunity to experience this. I’m definitely pumped up about it.”
He visited Oregon on the first busy weekend of June — choosing the Ducks over the likes of Washington and USC. Mells is Oregon’s second commitment along the defensive line for the class.
“I love Oregon,” Mells told The Athletic in May prior to his visit. “It seems like a second family for all the guys.”
SCO DUCKS?‼️ pic.twitter.com/BELbOsMxbV
— Sir Mells (@SirMells40) June 6, 2021
Stephon Johnson, WR
Hometown: Lancaster, Texas
High School: DeSoto
Ranking: No. 486 overall, No. 65 WR
Commitment date: March 31, 2021
The Ducks pulled in one of 2021’s best classes at receiver and are now building the 2022 group with Johnson, who committed to Oregon over Arizona State, Colorado, USC, Houston and others. After adding three receivers who are 6-foot-2 or taller in 2021, Johnson, at 6-foot, comes as a needed addition to the slot. Johnson caught 33 passes for 469 yards and five touchdowns during his junior year in 2020. He recently transferred from Lancaster High to nearby DeSoto.
Trejon Williams, S
Hometown: Portland, Ore.
High School: Jefferson
Ranking: No. 207 overall, No. 13 safety
Commitment date: March 26, 2021
Williams became the second player from Oregon to commit to the Ducks this cycle, joining Portland’s Central Catholic outside linebacker Emar’rion Winston. Williams picked Oregon over Cal, Oregon State, Washington, USC, Arizona State and others. He was initially recruited at Cal by Marcel Yates, who was hired in February as Oregon’s defensive backs coach. The Ducks have also offered Williams’ teammate, Lamar Washington, a three-star outside linebacker.
Tanner Bailey, QB
Hometown: Gordo, Ala.
High school: Gordo
Ranking: No. 217 overall, No. 15 QB
Commitment date: March 8, 2021
Bailey’s grandpa Ken Bailey played quarterback at Alabama for Bear Bryant. His father, Lance Bailey, played quarterback at Auburn. Even with that SEC lineage, Oregon offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead, a former SEC head coach at Mississippi State, was able to lure the third-generation quarterback to Eugene, where he’ll join a roster that currently has three four-star quarterbacks with three-plus years of eligibility remaining.
Percy Lewis, OL
Hometown: Sallis, Miss. / McAdams High
Junior college: Mississippi Gulf Coast
Ranking: N/A
Commitment date: March 2, 2021
At 360 pounds, Lewis is the latest monster Cristobal offensive line recruit, joining fellow gargantuans such as Penei Sewell (349 pounds), Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu (345 pounds) and Faaope Laloulu (390 pounds) from past recruiting classes. Lewis committed to Oregon over offers from Auburn and Syracuse. He changed from the defensive to offensive line during his one year in junior college. Cristobal has found linemen in the juco ranks previously, including Aumavae-Laulu, T.J. Bass and George Moore in the years before him.
Landon Hullaby, S
Hometown: Arlington, Texas
High School: Mansfield Timberview
Ranking: No. 351 overall, No. 21 safety
Commitment date: Feb. 20, 2021
Hullaby, a 6-footer, comes with an offers list nearly 30 schools deep, and the Ducks flexed a bit in landing him out of a top 10 that included in-state Texas, Baylor and TCU, as well as Auburn. Hullaby, the younger brother of Longhorns linebacker Jaden Hullaby, committed to Oregon sight unseen before visiting campus this June.
Made by @mrhullabytx https://t.co/RxJmFUtcOS
— Lando Hullaby. (@_Lhull22_) June 28, 2021
Gracen Halton, DL
Hometown: San Diego, Calif.
High school: St. Augustine
Ranking: No. 246 overall, No. 33 DL
Commitment date: Jan. 27, 2021
Elite defensive linemen don’t populate the West Coast, and Oregon’s roster is a reflection, made up of ends and tackles from Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina and Hawai’i. The Ducks found a rare star with the California-produced Kayvon Thibodeaux in 2019, and hope to have struck again in 2022 with Halton, who comes from USC territory. “It was obvious to me that Oregon was the choice because a lot of other schools were talking down on Oregon,” Halton tweeted following his commitment. “Oregon talked nothing but Oregon.”
Andre Dollar, TE
Hometown: Mustang, Okla.
High School: Mustang
Ranking: No. 446 overall, No. 19 TE
Commitment date: Sept. 15, 2020
Oregon’s depth at tight end is really starting to take shape. The Ducks had one of the best hauls at the position in 2021 with the addition of Terrance Ferguson and Moliki Matavao, and Dollar’s 2022 commitment adds to a position that figures to feature more prominently in Moorhead’s offense as talent allows.
Emar’rion Winston, Edge
Hometown: Portland, Ore.
High School: Central Catholic
Ranking: No. 398 overall, No. 21 edge
Commitment date: July 16, 2020
Winston became the first member of Oregon’s 2022 class when he committed nearly a year ago. Winston is the younger brother of former Oregon linebacker La’Mar Winston Jr., who tallied 110 tackles in four seasons with the Ducks, and current USC redshirt sophomore Eli’jah Winston. Emar’rion Winston is the No. 3 in-state player.
(Photo of Mario Cristobal: Harry How / Getty Images)
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