No matter where you go in the world of college football, recruiting is largely the same. You bring a kid to campus, show him the facilities, lay out a plan for how he will be utilized if he chooses to play for your school, and try to sell him on his future.
However, that’s a lot easier to do in some places than others.
We always talk about the world of recruiting turning into an arms race in college football. The best teams get the most money, and pour that money back into the facilities in order to improve the experience for kids coming in. We’ve seen this become a trend across the nation in the past decade, with schools working hard to try and one-up each other every year, getting the highest tech equipment and flashiest amenities that money can buy.
Fortunately for Oregon fans, the Ducks are one of the best teams in the nation when it comes to dominating the recruiting game. Year after year, they are voted as having the best facilities, and they consistently rank atop the Pac-12 when it comes to top-rated recruiting classes, and are a fixture inside the top-15 nationally.
This has made it easier for Chris Hampton, Oregon’s new safeties coach, to find success recruiting some of the top players in the nation, he told me.
“When you talk to kids now, they know exactly who you are,” Hampton said on Tuesday. “I’m a little bit prettier than I was at my previous spot. The kids are definitely intrigued by coming here with the brand, Nike, and just Oregon in general with winning and coach Lanning being here.”
As the defensive coordinator at Tulane last year, Hampton was able to prove himself as a good recruiter, landing a couple of nice defensive back prospects. Early on in his Oregon days, though, Hampton has already made a splash by getting a verbal commitment from 4-star Aaron Flowers, the No. 7 safety in the 2024 class.
Hampton also recent extended an offer to 5-star DJ Pickett, the No. 1 safety in the 2025 class, someone who will likely find his way to Eugene for a visit over the coming months.
The Oregon logo holds weight in the world of college football, and the Nike brand is recognizable across the globe. When it comes to pitching high school players on a future in Eugene, those two things go hand in hand, and are usually successful in convincing some of the best players in the nation to be a Duck.
“I think it all helps,” Hampton said. “Recruiting has been going great.”
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