Oregon football has received 12 verbal commitments this recruiting cycle. Its class is ranked No. 15 in the country and second in the Pac-12 conference, with an average commit rating of 91.60, according to 247Sports.
Here is a breakdown of each commits’ 247 composite rankings and how they will factor into Oregon’s roster when they enroll for the 2023 season.
3-star Collin Gill, Cornerback
A native of our nation’s capital, 3-star cornerback Collin Gill is the lowest rated recruit in the class as he’s ranked as the No. 114 corner in the country. On the contrary, Gill is the eighth-best player in Washington D.C. and shows plenty of upside with his size and strengths. Listed at 6-foot, 200 pounds, Gill displays physicality and quality ball skills.
“Ever since I stepped on that campus, it felt like home,” Gill said.
3-star Teitum Tuioti, Edge Rusher
Local star Teitum Tuioti is the top ranked player in the state and the No. 52 best edge rusher nationally after moving from Nebraska when his father got hired by Lanning. He’s the son of Oregon defensive line coach Tony Tuioti.
Teitum showcased good instincts last season— as most coaches’ sons do— when he sniffed out a screen pass and intercepted it. At 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, Tuioti is fast off the edge, has a great motor and active hands. Prior to playing in the 2023 Polynesian Bowl, Tuioti will look to create his own legacy in his first season at Sheldon High School, where Ducks legend Justin Herbert attended.
3-star My’Keil Gardner, Defensive Line
My’Keil Gardner committed to the 2023 class on August 3. Gardner’s listed as the No. 5 ranked defensive lineman out west and the No. 11 in the state of Arizona. With defensive linemen being such a commodity in the region, it was imperative for the staff to win this recruitment. The 3-star Liberty High School product will bolster the interior of Oregon’s defensive line with his 6-foot-2, 275 pound frame. He chose the Ducks over the University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin and University of Texas.
3-star Tevita Pome’e, Defensive Line
This past season, Oregon head coach Dan Lanning led the Georgia Bulldogs’ defense, which relied heavily on a nose guard lining up in the middle of the defensive line. So it’s no surprise to see an athlete who projects at this position committed to the Ducks.
Tevita Pome’e is a 3-star defensive linemen who’s ranked No. 54 at his position. The 6-foot-3, 315-pounder is the No. 6 ranked player in Utah, and like Tuioti is a Polynesian Bowl commit. Pome’e may anchor the Ducks’ future defensive lines as he’s stout against the run and can rush the passer indicated by his 53 tackles, seven tackles for a loss, 4 1/2 sacks and one fumble recovery last season.
4-star Tyler Turner, Safety
The Ducks have prioritized the talent in the lone star state as they’ve received three commitments thus far. One of the commits is four-star safety Tyler Turner out of San Antonio. Turner is the No. 62 ranked player in Texas and No. 33 ranked safety in the nation. His nine pass break ups, four forced fumbles and eight interceptions over the last two seasons reflects his range and ball hawk abilities. Turner projects as a free safety at the next level as he exhibits quality awareness and physicality.
4-star Terrance Green, Defensive Line
Oregon dipped into Texas again when they received a commitment from four-star defensive lineman Terrance Green on Monday, August 1. Listed at 6-foot-5, 265 pounds, Green presents the prototypical size and length to play on the edge in Lanning’s defense. Green had a breakout performance against Shadow Creek High School when he posted four sacks and seven total tackles. His strong hands at the point of attack and disciplined eyes when taking on blockers are his strongest attributes. Green looks to expand on his skill set for his final high school season.
4-star Kodi Decambra, Safety
Position versatility is desired by every program as it allows coaches to install a variety of schematic packages to confuse the opposition. There’s few players as versatile as the 29th ranked safety and No. 3 ranked prospect in Nevada — 4-star Kodi Decambra out of Bishop Gorman. At six feet, 175 pounds, Decambra drives well on the ball and exhibits solid footwork, which comes as no surprise since he’s a Nike Opening finalist and Poly Bowl commit. Decambra capabilities project that he can play either safety position or in the slot as he displays good hip flexibility and speed in coverage.
4-star Dante Dowdell, Running Back
Hailing from Picayune, Mississippi is 4-star running back Dante Dowdell. The 2021 MaxPreps Mississippi Football Player of the Year is listed at 6-foot-1 1/2, 210 pounds and rushed for 2,554 yards and 28touchdowns last season. Despite his stature, Dowdell exhibits solid breakaway speed, which makes sense given track and field is his secondary sport.
Dowdell excels as a powerful one-cut runner who’s difficult to tackle in the open field once he gets downhill. The 247 composite rankings list him as the No. 215 player in the country and the No. 9 running back. Dowdell’s rare blend of size and athleticism will remind Ducks fans of former star Royce Freeman.
4-star Cole Martin, Cornerback
Like Tuioti, Oregon holds a commitment from another coach’s son, 4-star cornerback Cole Martin. The first commit in this class came just over a week after Lanning declared the hiring of cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin. Ranked as a top-200 prospect nationally, the No. 17 ranked cornerback, and the No. 2 athlete in Arizona, Martin displays good play recognition and elusiveness. At 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, he doesn’t shy away from the run and plays very physically despite his smaller frame.
His 144 total tackles, three interceptions, six passes defended and two forced fumbles over his career reflect his combative playing style. Martin projects as an outside corner but he exhibits the quickness and tenacity to play in the slot as well.
4-star Ashton Cozart, Wide Receiver
The third commit from the Lone Star State is the highest rated of the trio and is a native of Burien, Washington. Four-star wide receiver Ashton Cozart flipped his commitment from the Oklahoma Sooners to the Ducks on May 22, giving wide receiver coach Junior Adams his sixth pledge since he arrived in Eugene, on January 3.
He’s the No. 21 ranked receiver in the nation and No. 26 rated athlete in Texas. Coming in at 6-foot-3 1/2, 181 pounds, Cozart, a track and field athlete, sports a personal bests of 10.74 seconds in the 100 meters and a 4.45 40-yard dash. Cozart moves swiftly in and out of breaks when running routes and can take the top off defenses at will.
4-star Caleb Presley, Cornerback
Four-star Caleb Presley (6’ 180 lbs) is the No. 107 rated prospect in the country, No. 11 rated corner, and No. 1 athlete in Washington. The former teammate of Ducks offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr., Presley excels in all three facets of the game: offense, defense, and special teams (as a returner).
Presley plays aggressive with his hands and is a hard hitter. He exhibits excellent ball skills, instincts in coverage and twitch which indicates that he can be a lockdown corner for the Ducks. Tune into NBC on January 7 to watch him compete with the country’s best prospects in the 2023 All American Bowl.
4-star Jurrion Dickey, Wide Receiver
Four-star wide receiver Jurrion Dickey out of San Jose, California, is the No. 6 rated prospect in the state, No. 50 in the country, and No. 8 at his position. Dickey is a do-it-all big body receiver who can run after the catch and win contested catches. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder is another Poly Bowl commit who has great speed for his stature.
At two track meets hosted by Archbishop and Los Gatos High School, Dickey ran personal records of 11.33 in the 100m and 22.52 in the 200m. He posted a monstrous statline of 78 receptions, 1304 yards, 19 receiving touchdowns, two touchdowns on special teams, one rush touchdown, and four interceptions in 2021.The sky’s the limit once he can focus on one position in the future.
5-star Dante Moore, Quarterback
The crown jewel of this class is Detroit, Michigan 5-star quarterback Dante Moore. The 6-foot-2 1/2, 210-pounder is the No. 4 rated quarterback in the nation, No. 1 prospect in Michigan, an Elite 11 finalist and an All-American Bowl commit. Moore is the highest rated quarterback to commit to the Ducks and fourth-best recruit of all time.
A varsity starter since his freshman year, Moore exhibits elite intangibles with his fearlessness to stand in the pocket and deliver an accurate throw with a defender breathing down his neck. He’s very accurate and throws with great touch (72% completion percentage, 3,050 pass yards, 40 pass touchdowns and 3 interceptions). 247 elevated his ranking to second best quarterback in the class following his performances this offseason. “He rose to the occasion every time we saw him,” Chris Singletary of 247 Sports wrote.
Lanning and his staff have done an excellent job of recruiting nationally with commits from 10 different states. They look to augment those numbers by signing day in February. Oregon holds recruiting predictions for 4-star A’mauri Washington, 4-star Ja’Kobi Lane, 3-star Bryce Boulton and 3-star Jerry Mixon. It will be interesting to see if this staff closes on these guys as they continue to target elite recruits such as: David Hicks, Matayo Uiagalelei, Duce Robinson, Miles McVay, Blake Purchase among others.
