The Oregon Ducks have landed a massive player in the 2024 recruiting class after a commitment from Elijah Rushing.
Rushing took to X on Monday, October 30 to announce that he had committed to play for Oregon, tagging several Ducks coaches including head coach Dan Lanning in the announcement post.
Committed! ?@CoachDanLanning @CoachLup @KamranAraghi1 @BlairAngulo @adamgorney @ChadSimmons_ @BFBaumgartner pic.twitter.com/XrOeogsjJ6
— Elijah Rushing (@elijah_rushing) October 30, 2023
A 5-star recruit out of Tucson, Arizona, Rushing is a top-15 recruit nationally in the 2024 class, according to 247 Sports. Along with being the top-ranked player in the state of Arizona, rushing is also the No. 2 EDGE in the 2024 class, coming into college at an imposing 6'6" and 251 pounds.
The commitment is a huge one for Oregon, a program that has produced NFL-caliber pass rushers over the year that include the likes of Kayvon Thibodeaux, Dion Jordan, and Arik Armstead. Rushing won't be heading to the NFL any time soon, but proper development during his time in Oregon could help him turn into an NFL draft prospect down the road while the Ducks look to make multiple College Football Playoff runs.
While Oregon fans can celebrate the huge high school commitment with Rushing, the program is still fighting this year for a national championship season. The Ducks bounced back nicely from their loss to Washington a few weeks ago, dominating a strong Utah team in a 35-6 victory in hostile territory.
With a 7-1 record and a 5-1 record in the Pac-12 conference, the Ducks are still right in the thick of contending for a conference title. The USC Trojans look extremely beatable despite Caleb Williams playing under center, and a win over Lincoln Riley's program would put Oregon back into the mix for the conference championship game.
Still, the Ducks have plenty of strong opponents to play before they can think about a conference (or national title), with upcoming games against USC and Oregon State.
