Oregon Ducks

Oregon's recruiting efforts are paying off

Published Jul. 6, 2015 4:10 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Oregon Ducks are firing on all cylinders this summer when it comes to recruiting. The Ducks have already landed 12 recruits for the 2016 class and are in the running for plenty of more highly touted prospects.

Four of Oregon's 2016 pledges, QB Brady Breeze, WR Theo Howard, RB Vavae Malepeai and WR Dillon Mitchell, will compete at "The Opening" this week, one of the most prestigious showcases in the country. The Opening will take place at the Nike headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, which makes it the perfect venue for the incoming Duck recruits to do some recruiting of their own.

Oregon's 2016 class is currently ranked No. 17 nationally by 247Sports.com, which falls in line with their previous rankings since Mark Helfrich took over for Chip Kelly.

While the Ducks are currently under NCAA sanctions following a violation related to the infamous Lache Seastrunk case, some believe the sanctions have helped Oregon, in a way.

“It made Oregon’s staff become aggressive and it made Oregon’s staff get that fire back and hit the trail and recruit really hard across, not just Oregon and the West Coast, California, but the entire country,” 247Sports writer Matt Prehm said on The Duck Pod, according to Ryan Thorburn of The Register-Guard. “It’s been a positive in a strange way because it has made them work harder and it’s starting to pay off.”

The Ducks have been aggressive in recruiting and the coaching staff has gotten to recruits earlier in the process than they used to.

“(Helfrich) is understanding if you get your name out there more and your guys get out there and see high schools as early and often as they can, they’re going to get success,” Prehm said, according to Thorburn. “Oregon has been tremendous in continuing their identification of guys who academically qualify, and it has turned into a positive.”

The Ducks have also found success in getting recruits into the school as quickly as possible. Six members of Oregon's 2015 recruiting class enrolled early at the school. The 2016 class may have a significant amount of players that could follow the same route.

Since taking over for Kelly, Helfrich said that he and his staff have traveled to 42 states and have visited more than 3,000 high schools, according to Thorburn.

(h/t The Register-Guard)

Photo Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports