Good news for Oregon fans in the form of an early Christmas Eve recruiting ‘present’ of sorts.
Darius Gray is a 6-foot-4, 275-pound offensive tackle from St. Christopher’s School in Richmond, Virginia. And the four-star ranked No. 2 in the state and No. 2 at the position for the cycle made a major announcement today, dropping his Top 12 schools, which includes Oregon.
Also on that list includes South Carolina, Tennessee, and Ohio State, all whom I identified as standout programs to watch in his recruitment ahead of his Top 12 announcement. Each of those he recently visited and have established strong bonds with him.
The Gamecocks, along with Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Penn State make the cut. These were the first four Power Four schools to offer him.
Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Michigan, and LSU also on that list. He has been able to camp or visit at all of those schools as well. He has visited South Carolina and Tennessee various times.
But with Oregon being cross-country, the destination is tougher to get to, and opportunities to meet coaches can be harder.
Regardless, he still keeps in touch and maintains a good relationship with Ducks’ offensive line coach A’lique Terry since the assistant offered him in May. “We’re just staying in contact to better grow our relationship. We’re just building relationships and checking up on each other,” Gray said.
And the top offensive tackle has his sights set on visiting Eugene to make the cross-country trip this offseason. “Definitely. It’s a must visit,” he said.
Several things stand out about No. 1 Oregon, but particularly the direction they are heading in. “The direction they’re going. They’re currently at the top, and they don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon,” he said.
The Ducks earn a spot in his Top 12 over several others, among those including big names like Auburn, Miami, and Texas A&M. He has over 35 total offers.
He is a physical, exciting offensive lineman with major upside and is a high-character player.
Duck Sports Authority has reached out to Gray to talk further about Oregon making his Top 12.
