Oregon’s recruiting prowess has made leaps and bounds under head coach Mario Cristobal. The program currently ranks No. 1 in the Pac-12 and No. 5 in the nation in recruiting, due in major part to Cristobal’s expansion beyond the West Coast, most recently opening the door into Texas.

With four recruits already verbally committed to the Ducks’ 2022 class, the Texas-Eugene pipeline is alive and well. Cristobal has the March 31st  commitment of three-star wide receiver Stephon “Boogie” Johnson Jr. to thank for the recent recruiting explosion in the Lone Star state.

The 6-foot, 175-pound receiver was ranked the No. 65 receiver in the nation, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. Johnson Jr. had 14 total offers before ultimately choosing Oregon over programs such as USC, Arkansas and Arizona State. Johnson Jr. was the first wideout to verbally commit to the 2022 class. His commitment became a building block for luring other Texas players out to Eugene, Oregon.

During his time in Eugene for Oregon football’s Saturday Night Live camp in the beginning of August, Johnson Jr. spoke to the media in depth about the importance of Oregon’s focus on Texas high school football athletes.

“There is a lot of hidden gems out in Texas. A lot of West Coast schools don’t come that deep into Texas,” Johnson Jr. said. “I’m glad Oregon is starting to change the narrative, and a lot of Texas kids want to come out here and change the culture.”

That statement holds true.

Since Johnson Jr.’s commitment, three more dynamic Texas recruits verbally committed to Oregon. The players include four-star wide receiver Nicholas Anderson, three-star offensive tackle Cameron Williams and five-star offensive tackle Kelvin Banks.

Just a half hour after Johnson Jr.’s decision back in March, former teammate and friend Banks Tweeted about a potential reunion as teammates at the college level, continuing the intrigue of Oregon landing more Texas athletes. Just a couple months later, in July, the Under Armour All-American committed to the Ducks.

At the end of the 2021 season, Oregon will lose two key members of its receiving core in Johnny Johnson III and Jaylon Redd. Johnson Jr’s impact on the team could start as soon as he arrives in Eugene.

With the additions, Oregon looks to continue its success and keep its reputation in Texas.