Oregon football closed its 2018 recruiting class on a high note. Which 2018 signees could become instant starters for the Ducks.
One year ago, we were talking about the future of Oregon’s football program being bright under the direction of first-year head coach Willie Taggart. Now, we are talking about the same, but with Mario Cristobal at the helm.
Taggart bolted for the Florida State job, leaving Cristobal and a solid staff behind. The Ducks have plenty of talent coming in with the 2018 recruiting class as well — a number of true freshmen have the potential to start right away.
Which five 2018 class signees could start for right away for Oregon?
Safety is one position that might need a replacement on the defensive side of the ball. With Tyree Robinson graduating, the early prediction is that freshman Nick Pickett will take over. However, Jevon Holland is a name to watch for.
The four-star safety from Oakland, Calif., didn’t waver in his commitment to Oregon even when Willie Taggart switched gears and took the Florida State job. He signed in the early period with the Ducks as the second-highest rated defensive back in Oregon’s class.
Holland stands 6-foot-1 and weighs in at about 182 pounds and is an impressive athlete on both sides of the ball. His versatility makes him one heck of a punt returner and his aggressiveness on defense is linebacker-esque.
The Oakland-native is ranked the No. 138 in the class and as the ninth-best safety, per 247Sports.
Say goodbye to Royce Freeman and hello to Jamal Elliott. No, there’s not going to be a seamless transition, but losing Freeman to graduation will be eased by the addition of the four-star running back from Durham, N.C.
Freeman is a bit of a monster compared to Elliott, size-wise, standing 5-foot-11 and weighing in at 230 pounds to the latter’s 5-foot-10, 180-pound frame. They are two completely different backs and that’s alright since the Ducks will be moving in a more speed-oriented direction.
Tony Brooks-James is the favorite to start in 2018, picking up 498 yards and two touchdowns on 5.4 yards per carry in 2017. Don’t sleep on sophomore Darrian Felix, though. He finished with 182 yards and a touchdown on 6.1 yards per touch as a freshman.
Elliott could contend for some starting snaps as well, especially as an early enrollee. He was listed as the No. 297 overall prospect and 12th-best running back in the class.
While Oregon is losing a starting safety this offseason, the Ducks will also be looking for a replacement at cornerback for Arrion Springs. There’s no clear replacement at that cornerback spot, so that’s where three-star Verone McKinley III comes into play.
When you watch the highlight reel of the incoming freshman from Carrollton, Texas, you’d realize that he has what it takes to make plays at the next level. His innate ability to read the opposing quarterback’s eyes is impressive and he jumps routes with the best of them.
Jim Leavitt has some talented incoming freshmen to work with on the defensive side of the ball and he’s one of those great minds who can get the most out of his guys. He turned the Ducks’ defense completely around in the one year under Willie Taggart’s control.
McKinley III could be a big piece to his puzzle for years to come and it wouldn’t be much of a shock to see the nation’s 38th-best cornerback recruit on the field right away.
Yet another defensive back. This list may as well be called ‘which freshman defensive back could start in 2018′ but luckily the Ducks have a deep class with plenty of positions of need filled. Still, there will be a couple of openings in the secondary this coming season and Steve Stephens could be another freshman with a chance to fill one.
The four-star safety from Fresno, Calif., is the highest-rated defensive back in the Ducks’ 2018 class and he looks the part of an elite player.
Stephens has a unique combination of size, speed and strength that makes him one of the most highly-touted incoming freshmen in the Pac-12. He stands 6-foot-0, 185 pounds and, like the aforementioned Jevon Holland, is an impressive return man.
Oregon is looking for a replacement for Tyree Robinson. The Ducks have two capable freshmen who could come in and vie for time right away. Stephens is not ranked the No. 137 player and 11th-best composite safety in the class for nothing.
Oregon has been known for its talented, explosive athletes at the skill positions dating back to the Chip Kelly days, and even before that. The high-octane Ducks could be on the way back to college football as long as the incoming skill position recruits pan out.
One of the more intriguing prospects in the 2018 class is four-star All-American wide receiver Jalen Hall from Long Beach, Calif. He committed to Mario Cristobal on Jan. 27, not letting the departure of Willie Taggart affect his decision.
Hall is one of those game-changing talents who could come in and produce from day one. His size for a receiver would make any scout drool, standing 6-foot-4 and weighing in at 192 pounds. He will fill out his frame a bit once he gets to Eugene, but you can’t teach height. He could be a jump-ball technician.
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