Ducks Load Up On Signing Day

Photo by: Rob Moseley/GoDucks.com

12/18/19 | Football

Oregon gained two high-profile additions to its 2020 signing class Wednesday, inking 20 players to letters of intent.

By: Rob Moseley

EUGENE, Ore. — For Mario Cristobal, recruiting takes place 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

That includes during practice for the Oregon football team, and even during press conferences — two circumstances that arose Wednesday when high school seniors in the class of 2020 began signing letters of intent.

The Ducks had just begun practice Wednesday when the highest-rated recruit in the class, linebacker Justin Flowe, announced on ESPNU he intended to sign with Cristobal and the UO football program. About three hours later, Cristobal was wrapping up a press conference to announce the bulk of the class when quarterback Robby Ashford announced his commitment as well.

"I did say the class was going to keep growing, right?" Cristobal said when reporters informed him that Ashford had announced his commitment.

Oregon on Wednesday announced the signing of 20 players to letters of intent, including nine on offense and 11 defensive players. Flowe and Noah Sewell, the younger brother of all-American left tackle Penei Sewell, are the No. 1 and No. 2 inside linebackers in the nation according to both 247sports and Rivals, and both signed to play with an Oregon defense that surged in national rankings under new coordinator Andy Avalos as the Ducks captured the 2019 Pac-12 title.

That conference title earned Oregon a Rose Bowl berth, and the team was practicing for that postseason appearance when Flowe announced his commitment. A consensus top-10 player in the country, Flowe helped elevate Oregon's class as high as 10th in the nation, according to Rivals, and No. 16 according to 247sports. Oregon was one of six programs nationally to sign two five-star prospects according to both 247sports and Rivals, along with Clemson, Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia and Louisiana State.

And that's with the Ducks still having a couple more spots to fill.

"Today is incredible," Cristobal said Wednesday afternoon. "And it's not done."

The Ducks built the class in the mold of Cristobal's vision that helped produce the 2018 class, the first consensus top-10 class ever by Oregon. The "CaliFlock" movement continued, with the Ducks pulling seven players out of California, and grabbing the top player in the Golden State for the second year in a row — Flowe following in the footsteps of 2019 Pac-12 defensive freshman of the year Kayvon Thibodeaux.

The 2019 "CaliFlock" also includes quarterback Jay Butterfield, receiver Kris Hutson out of St. John Bosco High School, and junior college defensive back Bennett Williams.

The Ducks also got more beef from the trenches. That haul included another JC transfer, offensive lineman T.J. Bass, plus four freshmen on each side of the ball.

Among the offensive linemen is Faaope Laloulu of Honolulu, who measured in at 6-foot-7 and 390 pounds.

"He's the first human being that has made (UO defensive line coach ) Joe Salave'a look small," Cristobal quipped. "Joe looked like his Mini Me."

Flowe and Sewell were joined at inside linebacker by Nevada native Jackson LaDuke. Cristobal, who has an SEC pedigree as a recruiter, said that "I've never been around a caliber of linebacker class like that."

Roundups of "winners and losers" from Wednesday's early signing day by both The Athletic and 247sports included Oregon among the winners. The analysis by 247sports called the Ducks "a budding Pac-12 force, both on the field and on the recruiting trail," while The Athletic noted that, "You know the Ducks' day must have gone well if it compelled (former USC QB) Matt Leinart to declare on Twitter that 'Oregon is the new USC in recruiting on the West Coast.' "

Oregon also was named a signing day "winner" by ESPN, and Pro Football Focus agreed based on the Ducks' ability to replace graduating senior linebacker Troy Dye with the marquee signees at inside linebacker: "His departure left a massive hole and even though youngsters in Isaac Slade-Matautia and ... Sampson Niu will certainly be around in 2020, the next potential three- or four-year starter at the inside linebacker position is clearly on their 2020 recruiting class."

At Wednesday's press conference, Cristobal was asked his "secret sauce" in recruiting elite players to be Ducks.

"The 'secret sauce' is being real," the UO coach said. "We have a tremendous passion for the University of Oregon. We all feel without a shred of doubt that this is the best place in the entire country."

Having a brand-new Pac-12 championship trophy shining brightly in the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex helps, too. Oregon wants recruits to join a championship program, contending for Pac-12 titles and College Football Playoff spots, as the Ducks did this fall.

"Because of it all, I don't look at it as a sell," Cristobal said. "I just look at it as, it's the truth. There's no, 'It's gonna happen down the line.' It's happening now."

NAME	POS.	HT.	WT.	HOMETOWN	PREVIOUS SCHOOLS	TIME SIGNED
Maceal Afaese	DL	6-5	257	Kapolei, Hawaii	Kapolei HS	9:08 a.m.
Robby Ashford	QB	6-2	204	Hoover, Ala.	Hoover HS	2:36 p.m.
T.J. Bass	OL	6-5	334	Deming, Wash.	Mt. Baker HS/Butte College	7:08 a.m.
Trey Benson	RB	6-1	204	Greenville, Miss.	St. Joseph Catholic School	5:04 a.m.
Jay Butterfield	QB	6-6	202	Brentwood, Calif.	Liberty HS	7:08 a.m.
Jonathan Denis	OL	6-3	279	Homestead, Fla.	South Dade HS	4:05 a.m.
Justin Flowe	LB	6-2	226	Upland, Calif	Upland HS	11:15 a.m.
JJ Greenfield	DB	6-0	177	Crenshaw, Calif.	Narbonne HS	7:42 a.m.
Marcus Harper II	OL	6-4	290	Chicago Heights, Ill.	Homewood-Flossmoor HS	5:04 a.m.
Luke Hill	DB	5-11	180	Temple Hills, Md.	St. Frances Academy	4:05 a.m.
Kris Hutson	WR	5-11	175	Compton, Calif.	St. John Bosco HS	7:08 a.m.
Jaylan Jeffers	OL	6-5	261	Phoenix, Ariz.	Saguaro HS	6:03 a.m.
Jackson LaDuke	LB	6-2	217	Sparks, Nev.	Spanish Springs HS	7:08 a.m.
Faaope Laloulu	OL	6-7	390	Kalihi, Hawaii	Farrington HS	9:37 a.m.
Jaden Navarrette	LB	6-3	223	Norco, Calif.	Norco HS	7:08 a.m.
Noah Sewell	LB	6-2	266	Malaeimi, American Samoa	Orem HS (Utah)	6:07 a.m.
Jake Shipley	DL	6-4	271	Indio, Calif.	Shadow Hills HS	7:08 a.m.
Jaylen Smith	DL	6-5	266	Ahoskie, N.C.	Hertford County HS	4:03 a.m.
Bradyn Swinson	DL	6-4	257	Douglasville, Ga.	Chapel Hill HS	4:21 a.m.
Bennett Williams	DB	6-0	200	Campbell, Calif.	St. Francis HS/Illinois/College of San Mateo	7:08 a.m.