Franklin talks Oregon pledge
Darrian Franklin didn't have much to ponder once he stepped on the Oregon campus last week.
The four-star outside linebacker from Downey, Calif., liked what he saw and, frankly, had seen enough to end his recruitment.
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"I've been to a few places and I've seen around, and when I was in Oregon I knew that was really what I liked," Franklin said. "It was the school I felt most comfortable with, so I made my decision.
"They have told me I would fit in at inside 'backer where I can run sideline to sideline. It won't be a big jump because we run a similar defensive set at Downey."
The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Franklin, the No. 18-rated outside linebacker in the 2016 class according to Rivals.com, became the fifth prospect from California to commit to the Ducks. He said his longstanding relationship with assistant Don Pellum was one of the biggest factors in his decision.
"Coach Pellum was on me really tough and he told me he really wanted to have me," Franklin said. "That was big for me. Then Theo Howard was on me, too, and that was a big part of it for me. We're already talking about which weekend we want to get up there for our official visits."
Franklin held close to two dozen other scholarship offers and visited various other programs, including Michigan and USC. With national signing day still more than seven months away, the Rivals250 member intends to keep his ears open but doesn't anticipate any changes in his status.
"If anything else pops up, I might have to open my recruitment back up, but I'm just going to take it easy right now," Franklin said. "I'm good with my commitment.
"I'm excited to get up there and see what that college life is like. I'm looking forward to the experience. I'm graduating early, too, so that's coming up and I can't wait."
Franklin was credited with 88 total tackles and eight sacks as a junior last season.