The Hotline is delighted to provide college football fans with a regular dive into the recruiting process through the eyes and ears of Brandon Huffman, the Seattle-based national recruiting editor for 247Sports. He submitted the following report on Oct. 9 …
Arguably the most anticipated game in Autzen Stadium history will take place on Saturday when Oregon hosts Ohio State.
Even though the Ducks have played three home games this season, they targeted this weekend’s showdown with the second-ranked Buckeyes to show off to potential recruits.
And the list of visitors is absolutely loaded.
The Ducks will welcome the No. 1 receiver in the country, Dakorien Moore, who committed to Oregon on July 4. (He is the fifth-ranked prospect overall, according to 247Sports.)
The top prospects from five states in the class of 2026 are scheduled to attend, as well:
North Carolina tight end Kendre Harrison (five stars); Utah tight end Brock Harris (five); Oregon edge rusher Tony Cumberland (four), who has committed to the Ducks; Washington edge Derek Colman-Brusa (four); and Nevada athlete Jett Washington (four), the nephew of NBA legend Kobe Bryant.
In addition, the state of Oregon’s No. 1 prospect in the class of 2027 will be in Autzen Stadium on Saturday evening: Josiah Molden (four stars), the son of former Duck star and NFL first-round pick Alex Molden.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning has been recruiting at an unprecedented level in Eugene, even when compared to the lofty standard set by his predecessor, Mario Cristobal.
And this is Lanning’s moment.
Oregon State secured a flip of its own when the Beavers convinced Wyoming tight end Logan Knapp to visit Corvallis last weekend, then celebrated the news that Knapp had de-committed from the Cowboys and picked the Beavers. (He is projected to be an edge rusher for OSU.)
But there are two more significant prospects committed to power conference schools on the West Coast who have picked up intriguing offers elsewhere:
— Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele is the No. 1 recruit in Hawaii and a four-star quarterback who committed to Cal in the summer. But his senior season at Campbell High School in Ewa Beach has been impressive enough to generate offers from Oregon and Utah.
The offer from the Ducks is significant in that Sagapolutele’s favorite player is Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, whose passing record on Oahu was shattered by Sagapolutele.
And keep an eye on Notre Dame, which had been keeping Sagapolutele warm in case the Irish lost Deuce Knight, who flipped to Auburn. USC has done the same with Sagapolutele as the Trojans ride the Julian Lewis roller coaster.
— Meanwhile, the No. 2 recruit in the state of Oregon’s senior class, Zac Stascausky, flipped his own commitment from Minnesota to Washington in August. But since the season started, the newly crowned four-star prospect has added offers from Georgia, Oregon and UCLA.
He’s already flipped once, and it might be a long shot to flip him again. But he’s an Oregon resident, and three of his former training partners with B12 Performance signed to play for Ducks offensive line coach A’Lique Terry in 2024.
The Boise State brand has never been hotter, thanks largely to Heisman Trophy candidate Ashton Jeanty, who leads the nation in rushing by a wide margin.
Head coach Spencer Danielson isn’t just capitalizing on it locally, or domestically. He’s going international.
This week alone, the Broncos landed pledges from two European products: safety Arthur de Boachie, who’s originally from the Netherlands and now plays at the NFL Academy in the United Kingdom; and German native Daniil Starykh, an offensive lineman.
Apparently, the Blue Turf crossed the pond and the Bronco brand is making its way in Europe.
Of course, they’ve always had success in Southern California, and Tahj Crutchfield, a cornerback from Rancho Cucamonga, committed to the Broncos this past week.
And they reeled in a top-five player in the state in the 2026 class in LaGary Mitchell Jr., the son of former Bronco linebacker LaGary Mitchell.
Much has been made about the Trojans’ recruiting efforts in SEC country. They have won some duels, only to later lose those commitments.
So while the Trojans wait for the stretch run to unfold in the 2024-25 recruiting cycle, they will gladly take a commitment from Miami defensive lineman Floyd Boucard, a three-star prospect.
That he was once pledged to Oklahoma, where USC coach Lincoln Riley is still living rent-free in the heads of Sooner fans, probably makes it sweeter.
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