Oregon’s Mario Cristobal Breaks Down Arizona Haul

What’s dominating a recruiting area?

Does getting commitments from the state’s top quarterback, pass rusher and two best offensive linemen qualify as domination? 

Well consider Arizona Duck territory. 

Oregon football came into the Grand Canyon State and came away with Mesquite quarterback Ty Thompson, Saguaro offensive tackle Bram Walden, Salpointe Catholic offensive lineman Jonah Miller and Chandler EDGE rush Brandon Buckner in the 2021 recruiting cycle.

Thompson and Walden are Top-100 recruits nationally and Adidas All-Americans, Miller is a goliath who helped clear lanes for Bijan Robinson’s record-setting career and Buckner leaves Chandler as the school’s all-time sack leader. 

It’s a group of gamechangers within the Pac-12’s top class. With a roster that already features Arizona natives Tyler Shough, Johnny Johnson and Jaylan Jeffers, it’s a well Mario Cristobal and his staff will go back to time and time again. 

“You’re looking at a place that we feel we have to recruit extremely well, extremely hard because of the caliber of talent, the caliber of coaching, teaching and development there,” Cristobal said. “It’s a quick flight. It’s a quick flight to Eugene so it’s certainly an area that we’re proud to recruit and that we want to continue recruiting to have success and elevate the program.”

College football is also always judged by who is under center for a program, and Cristobal likes his odds after nabbing Thompson in this cycle back in March. 

“We always felt he was the best one in country, hands down,” Cristobal said in his National Signing Day availability. 

And after scooping up some of the best talent Arizona has to offer in the 2021 class, expect Arizona’s elite talent to be in the crosshairs of Oregon’s recruiting efforts for years to come.