Five prospects that will be paying close attention to Washington-Oregon
The biggest matchup in college football this weekend pits seventh-ranked Washington against No. 8 Oregon in Seattle. There will be millions watching and especially these five recruits as the outcome could have a big impact on their recruitments.
MORE GORNEY: FIVE PROSPECTS TO WATCH IN THE MATER DEI-BOSCO GAME
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The four-star offensive guard from Seattle (Wash.) O’Dea committed to Texas A&M over Miami and Utah in August but it wouldn’t be surprising at all if both Washington and Oregon circled back over time.
With the game being played right down the road, it’s going to be difficult for Ahfua not to pay attention as it’s one of the biggest in the Pacific Northwest in recent memory. There are a lot of reasons why Ahfua will stick with the Aggies but there is also significant draw to staying closer to home and playing for a potential title contender as both the Ducks and the Huskies were heavily involved through his recruitment.
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Michigan State seemed like the front-runner for the four-star running back from Seattle (Wash.) O’Dea but then the whole Mel Tucker fiasco happened and Brown hit reset on his recruitment. Oregon was a front-runner for a long time and he loves what’s happening in Eugene plus he has developed a strong relationship with position coach Carlos Locklyn and others.
But Brown said something that’s stuck with me for a while: The four-star trains at Ford Sports Performance with a bunch of former Washington and current NFL players. They’re in his ear a lot and now with the Spartans trailing, that could help the Huskies a ton.
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USC, Oregon and Ohio State are the three early front-runners for the 2025 four-star safety but lurking in the background are Washington, Tennessee, Penn State and others. A convincing win by the Huskies, a phenomenal atmosphere (as expected) in Seattle, could change the list and move Washington toward the top.
But it might be tough. The Pittsburg, Calif., standout spends a ton of time in Southern California so it’s sort of a second home that favors the Trojans in a big way. Hudson has talked highly of Oregon for so long, one game might not matter. And Ohio State has caught his attention as well as he loves what the Buckeyes do with their defensive backs.
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The outcome of this massive top-10 matchup could have the biggest impact of all on the four-star defensive tackle from Northern California.
Washington had been considered the front-runner for the Fairfield (Calif.) Armijo standout for some time heading into this season but after a recent visit back to Eugene, it seems like the Ducks have taken over the lead in Johnson’s recruitment. That has not been completely cleared up as the four-star isn’t talking much about exactly what he’s thinking but this is basically coming down to an Oregon-Washington battle and the winner Saturday night could further solidify its place in his mind.
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There will be many others involved because Waverly is a talented pass-catcher and he still has lots of time left in his recruitment but there’s no doubt Oregon and Washington will be two of the front-runners. The 2025 four-star tight end from Mukilteo (Wash.) Kamiak has talked highly of the Ducks and the Huskies already. He’s well-versed on both programs and even though the game will be played more than a year before his signing day, it could be one to remember down the line.