Huffman Pac-12 recruiting update: Basha QB visiting Bruins, Ducks and UW busy weekend

Demond Williams Jr.

The Hotline is delighted to provide Pac-12 fans with a weekly dive into the recruiting process through the eyes and ears of Brandon Huffman, the Seattle-based national recruiting analyst for 247Sports.

The following information, in his words, was provided to the Hotline on Nov. 17 …


*** Obviously, the big news this weekend is the final home games for UCLA, Oregon and Washington, and all three will be busy with visitors.

The Bruins will host seven of their 10 committed prospects in the current senior class, as well as the top quarterback on their board among the juniors: Demond Williams, a four-star prospect from Chandler, Arizona.

The Bruins also are welcoming four-star prospect DeAndre Carter, the No. 2-rated interior offensive lineman in the junior class who’s from Southern California powerhouse Mater Dei.

Several 2023 prospects who have committed to other schools are expected at the Rose Bowl, as well, including three-star offensive tackle Elishah Jackett (pledged to Washington), three-star cornerback Warren Smith (Washington State) and four-star athlete Collins Acheampong.

*** Washington’s final home game will feature one official visitor in three-star linebacker Deven Bryant, a Huskies commit, plus a local 2024 quarterback in three-star prospect EJ Caminong.

The big one for Washington, who’s coming to campus on his own dime because he already took an official visit, is four-star receiver Taeshaun Lyons from Hayward, California. He has seen Miami and Notre Dame and is expected to visit Texas A&M, as well. He’s the top uncommitted prospect in Northern California.

There’s also a good chance that four-star Seattle cornerback Caleb Presley, an Oregon commit, will be in Husky Stadium instead of Autzen Stadium.

*** Meanwhile, the Ducks will be hosting four-star offensive tackle Fox Crader, one of the top 10 juniors in Washington, for the home finale against Utah. Crader is a Vancouver kid, halfway between Seattle and Eugene, and the Ducks are in a good spot trying to lock him up.

The top cornerback in the West is also expected in Eugene: four-star prospect Rodrick Pleasant, the reigning 100- and 200-meter champion in California, will take an official visit. (He wants to run track in college.) Also due in town is Tevite’e Pomee, a defensive lineman who has committed to Oregon.

Those developments create a good segue to the other big news, which was a surprise visitor: Five-star Iowa offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor, the No. 1 player at his position in the 2023 class, attended the Oregon-Washington game.

Proctor has committed to the Hawkeyes, but there’s a lot of uncertainty around Iowa’s offense, and that has him looking at Oregon.

It comes after the Ducks signed the No. 1 tackle in the class of 2022 in Josh Conerly Jr. Now, they are pushing to flip Proctor and reel him in.

*** Cal isn’t playing its final home game this weekend but will still have a good turnout for Stanford’s visit.

Several committed prospects are due on campus, including three-star cornerback Sailasa Vadrawale and three-star athlete Ryan McCulloch.

There are also some key 2024 recruits due in, with three-star tight end Wyatt Hook and three-star running back Jaivian Thomas among them.

Another intriguing prospect at Memorial Stadium is three-star linebacker Naki Tuakoi from Oakland, whose recruitment has blown up. Tuakoi has received scholarship offers from Notre Dame and Oklahoma in recent weeks, but Cal was one of his first offers.

*** Lastly, this is the last big weekend of schools hosting visitors, then there’s another week of games before the contact period opens up and coaches can head on the road the last week of November.


Support the Hotline: Receive three months of unlimited access for just 99 cents. Yep, that’s 99 cents for 90 days, with the option to cancel anytime. Details are here, and thanks for your support.


*** Send suggestions, comments and tips (confidentiality guaranteed) to pac12hotline@bayareanewsgroup.com or call 408-920-5716

Follow Huffman on Twitter via @BrandonHuffman and support @AveryStrongDIPG

*** Follow me on Twitter: @WilnerHotline

*** Pac-12 Hotline is not endorsed or sponsored by the Pac-12 Conference, and the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference.