Oregon officially signed four-star receiver Gatlin Bair to its 2024 recruiting class on Wednesday, marking the last of 27 scholarship high school and junior college additions for the Ducks.
The 2024 class is ranked No. 3 in the 247Sports Composite, best ever for the program and the most points (293.22) in the outlet’s talent evaluation in program history.
Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein and defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi reviewed the signees on their respective sides of the ball during an appearance on the school’s in-house radio program on Wednesday.
Below is a transcript of what each coordinator said.
WILL STEIN
Quarterback Luke Moga: “A kid that when I first got here, another dream come true for Luke. He did a great job last spring of making himself known by the way that he threw the football in workouts and really the way that he runs as well. This guy is a 10.4 100-meters. Gatlin (Bair) is a sub 10.1, Luke’s not far off from Gatlin (and) he plays quarterback. Truly a dual threat but not just with his legs, the kid can really throw the football. Got high IQ, high character. He’s been running as fast as anybody on our team so far this spring. Really excited about Luke and his trajectory here in our offense. You can do a lot of things with him, power read game, zone read game, but then obviously his ability to fit the ball into tight windows, his ability to anticipate and be accurate with the football is huge. Got great leadership, comes from a great family.”
Running back Da’Jaun “Dink” Riggs: “This kid is smart, tough, dependable. Not only did he play running back for his team but you’d see him at Wildcat quarterback throwing passes. I do love double pass; I know we didn’t see that a lot from us this year but I promise you there’s a double pass waiting on somebody. We practiced it about a million times this past year, I just got to call the damn play. Dink can throw the football too. Guy’s got great vision, great acceleration through the holes. His play strength is extremely high. He’s got a thick lower build. A kid that was Gatorade Player of the Year in that area. Really excited about Dink and his versatility for us in our backfield.”
Wide receiver Dillon Gresham: “This kid from San Jacinto High School in Southern California. When you think about Dillon you think about speed, athleticism. This guy, he was extremely productive in high school; scored a lot of touchdowns, caught a lot of footballs. He is a playmaker. He was courted by a lot of people late but stuck with the Ducks because he knew that this was the right place for him. The ability to make people miss in space, when you catch the ball as a receiver you turn into a running back and that’s what he does. He looks to score every time he touches the football. Really excited about Dillon and what he’s going to bring to us. He’s got some speed for sure. When you recruit wide outs you obviously look for toughness, catch ability, being able to create separation but then this is stuff that we cannot teach. We can work as much as we want but this kid was born with natural speed and he’s going to help us for sure.”
Wide receiver Jack Ressler: “A kid from an extremely well known program as we all know, Mater Dei High School in Southern California. This is a kid, extremely tough over the middle. More of a slot receiver for us than anything. Bigger, thicker build, can block on the perimeter, can make contested catches, has a high football IQ and a will to win unlike anybody else. Excited about Jack and what he’s going to do for our offense and also potentially in the return game at punt returner.”
Wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan: “JMac was a kid that committed to another school and told us to keep recruiting him and that’s what we did. We flipped him late on the early signing period. You talk about a playmaker, a guy that does everything for his team, he’ll line up at Wildcat quarterback, he was handing the ball off. He is what you want in a wide out. He has great size to him. Obviously great speed. His ability to break tackles and run with the football I think is as special as anybody you’re going to see in the country. Understands space. Being able to create separation. The ability to go catch the ball and make those contested catches at the magical moment make good receivers great receivers.”
Wide receiver Ryan Pellum: “Another kid we turned late. Kids that dream of coming to Oregon, this kid was committed to another local rival and it was a great addition to our class. Another playmaker, get the ball in his hands and let him go be great. This kid can create separation, extremely quick, not as big as Gatlin or JMac, more in the Dillon Gresham size but creates separation. Receivers, his ability to separate, you don’t see a lot of catches from Ryan where there’s a guy right on his back because he’s faster and at that spot he’s able to create separation and go make the catch and then go score touchdowns.”
Wide receiver Gatlin Bair: “A lot of times he’s double or triple-teamed. This kid runs a sub 10.1 in the 100-meter. Not only is he super fast but when you watch his tape he’s a football player. That’s one thing when I first watched him, I was like OK, I know he’s a track star. But how does that translate to the football field? He has every single movement, every single skill set that you want in a football player. He’s not just a track kid; he is a football player. Obviously he plays wide receiver. Probably will play on the edge for us because he can take the top off the defense, has elite hands, elite speed and toughness as well.”
Tight end Kade Caton (preferred walk-on): “This is a guy from Texas whop played a Manvel, a really great program in that state, just outside Houston. When you look at Kade, when anybody sees him in person this summer or any type of fan day, he is s huge kid. he can bend. He can catch the football. We saw him at camps last year and what stood out is a guy that size running that fast and catching the football. Really excited about him and his development here. ... Tight ends are vital to our success, especially going into the Big Ten where we know that we have to run the football to win. This guy can set edges. He can get big, extend gaps for us. Excited about Kade and what he’s going to bring to our team. He’s really, really talented catching the football. He actually camped with us last summer too and it solidified that we knew we had to get him on our team.”
Tight end A.J. Pugliano: “He’s another local kid who is really excited, we’re excited to have him on our team and to see where he can go with this offense. He’s really tough. When you watch him play football he plays the game the right way, with a physicality, with a violence. Can play in line, can play on the edge. Whenever you keep the local kids that can play here at home you know that we’ve in good shape.”
Tight end Roger Saleapaga: “When you think about Roger, this kid is an excellent ball-catcher. Another guy that’s gained probably already 15 pounds since he’s been here. Got a thick lower build, a big upper frame and I think he has the potential to be one of the greats here. I really believe that. This kid is really, really talented. Comes from a great family and is really working his tail off so far.”
Offensive lineman Devin Brooks: “A great in-state kid from Clackamas. Big, physical, a guy that can play all three spots we think. Has large human beings in his family and you can see how he plays the game of football with violence and an edge up front. Whenever you look at O-line you want to look at guys that can bend, guys that are athletic and guys that can play multiple positions. I think he can play tackle, guard, even potentially play center for us.”
Offensive lineman Fox Crader: “Plays with an edge and a violence at tackle. Another guy when you look at who we signed, it’s versatile players up front that can play guard, can play tackle. He has athleticism. He played in the Adidas All-American game, a really talented player. Another PNW kid.”
Offensive lineman Trent Ferguson: “This is probably the largest human being on this entire offensive roster. This kid is all of 6-7, flirting around 300 pounds. He was actually a lacrosse player before he played football. So he’s got really light feet, some great athleticism, a kid that we believe can develop into a starting left tackle one day for us. He’s not here yet, but he will be here soon. Another in-state kid at West Salem High School, a great program. Excited about his development and where he’s going to be for us here in the future.”
Offensive lineman JacQawn “Shaq” McRoy: “He goes by Shaq for a reason. I said Trent was the biggest, I misspoke, Shaq is the largest human being I’ve ever seen in my time. He is all of 6-8, 370 and you see that size and you think somebody that might not be as athletic but you can see right here Shaq can bend, Shaq can move. Going into the Big Ten it takes large human beings to go win that conference and be able to run the football in our biggest games. We added great size with Shaq.”
TOSH LUPOI
Defensive lineman Aydin Breland: “I think the most important thing to know about him as a national champion, how many guy, how many champions can we sign and bring that to our culture. Right before the USC game he arrived, we were at the warmups there. I was running up the tunnel to hug my wife and he was waiting at the base of the tunnel and he picked me up and he cracked my rib and diagnosed by Chief. The rest of the season I can a cracked rib but it was also that feeling of an absolute beast and me being a helpless man in the air.”
Defensive lineman Tionne Gray: “I saw him listed at 285; that was probably his fourth grade body weight. Definitely in the 330s right now. Giant, large man. There’s nothing exciting for me when you go into eat breakfast or like last night we had a connection meeting with the fellas, nothing to do with football all about life, after that we ate some dinner and to go in there and see these giant, massive men that are the size of NFL players today as 17 and 18-year-old men. He’s got a long ways to improve; he knows that, we’re excited to do with him and fine tune his skill set. From a measurables standpoint he’s certainly got a head start from that. His nickname is Da Issue.”
Defensive lineman Jericho Johnson: “Nicknamed Big Co. This guy really stood out at his game, was really impressed visiting him in person and he didn’t know we were there. It was me and coach (Tony) Tuioti. You hear a voice rising in the locker room before the game, the leadership value. He’s a great individual, extremely high character. Some of the stories you hear about this guy where he motivated 7-8 teammates to go to church with him during the weekdays, I believe it was Wednesday nights. Highly involved there. Probably the best signing day announcement I’ve ever seen in my career in 18 years. If you guys want to check that out, Ivy is his brother, bona fide rapper and father also an elite church rapper.”
Defensive lineman Xadavien “Dae Dae” Sims: “I really like his versatility. I told our staff the day we were getting him that I’m challenging everybody and see like, this guy is going to compete as good as anyone that we’re signing based off of the film evaluation. Then you dive in from his family dynamics and get to know the guy, really excited about this individual. He’s a guy, I’m not comparing him to him, but from a versatility standpoint you see a Brandon Dorlus where he has the ability to dominate the C area and then get reduced down and be problems in the B gap as well.”
Edge Jaxson Jones: “Versatility. That’s what sums up this guy right here. Different skill set. He’s a guy, he’s kind of entering from all over the place, attacking internally, rolling off the edge. I think what stands out too is his production. He played five games this season and had nine sacks. His junior season he had 17 sacks. We spell sacks with $ack$. That’s what this guy is coming after.”
Defensive end Elijah Rushing: “I think Elijah Rushing one thing that stands out, 31.5 sacks in the last three seasons. Production there, starts there, but he’s got all the tangibles. His 34.5-inch arms, 251 pounds, 6-6 and 81.5 inch wingspan. Those are actually NFL measures today. Those were taken when he was 17. Now it’s about pushing him, getting him to play at a consistent, hard basis. Making that technique show up on game day and excite to do that with him.
Linebacker Kamar Mothudi: “Mothudi so you guys understand in Tswana means craftsmanship, one elite with tools an weaponry. This individual plays like that; he represents his last name. He has a Zybek 4.72, which is an electric 40, which is hand-timed probably in a 4.5s. Impressive individual, has been working his butt off here. Excited to clean up some technique with him an attack the process with him.”
Linebacker Brayden Platt: “Freakish individual. Dual-sport athlete. Threw the shot put as a sophomore over 60 feet. I threw it 47 feet and qualified for NCS. I would not come anywhere near that – that was my senior year too. This guy is an impressive, explosive individual. Through the javelin over 190 feet, which is the top national mark. He’ll throw here as well. I think it’s most important were’ going to always look at the PNW first and once again our staff led by coach Lanning signing the best of the best two seasons in a row. This guy is no short of the best of the PNW.”
Linebacker Dylan Williams: “I think speed and physicality. I’m always watching specific film. He played the national champ Bishop Gorman out here in Oregon. We did not attend that game because that’s against the NCAA rules. We were able to evaluate that from a film standpoint, at that game he had 13 tackles, he caused a fumble and he absolutely lit somebody up on kickoff. Part of our defensive culture is ball excellence and this guy had four caused fumbles and I believe one interception this season. I think this guy is a sideline-to-sideline individual, excited to work with him.
Cornerback Dakoda Fields: “He’s a guy when you rise versus specific competition. Long Beach Poly game, 14 tackles I believe two interceptions and see him playing at a high level of a rivalry game. I think that stands out a lot about being an elite competitor.”
Cornerback Sione Laulea: “I love recruiting a guy, one, he’s always going to have a soft spot in my heart being from the Bay, especially the EPA (East Palo Alto) here. This guy didn’t have it easy at any point in his life, including coming out of high school didn’t qualify. Kept working, became a JUCO player, and again just like we mentioned with Aydin (Breland), how many champions can we surround our defense and our culture with. This guy is another national champion from a really great program led by Tim Tulloch at CSM that I respect a lot. I think we know what we’re getting with him and excited about fine tuning some of these things from a technique standpoint but you can see a skill set. An exciting individual that we hope can come lead our defense.”
Cornerback Ify Obidegwu: “Awesome family. Came straight out of Baltimore, St. Francis. You know what you’re getting with an individual like that. He can take hard coaching. He lit the nation up in the all-star game where he took a pick six to the house. So I hope we see a few of those in Autzen.”
Safety Aaron Flowers: “A testament of relentless recruiting leading with coach (Chris) Hampton. Did an elite job there with him and his family. This guy really stood out. It came to us and USC really in the end before he made his verbal commitment. Coach Hampton put an elite Zoom together and it’s one of those things where you put a lot of work towards something, the consistency of every day and the process but then to show something and as we’re talking through it and going through it coach Hamp really led that. I’m looking through this thing I was like, I don’t care who I am I’m coming to Oregon no matter what after this presentation. This was a guy too confirming when he commits to you how hard Alabama, Texas and Georgia never let off. They put on the gas pedal after you watched his senior season, where I think some of the immature programs are going to do their evaluation off of sophomore year or junior year and then stop. The way this guy performed this season with the level he did we feel like we have arguably one of the absolute best in the country.”
Safety Kingston Lopa: “We refer to him as King. NorCal guy. You know what you’re getting when you’re signing a Syd’Quan Thompson product at Grant High School; brother of Shaq Thompson. A place that’s not the most friendly neighborhood at all times. Tennessee tried to get cute at the end and their car service actually got lost in the neighborhood and stopped and was reverted and they had to go back to Tennessee.”
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