Oregon Football: 2012 Recruits to Be Affected by the Willie Lyles Incident

In today's college football, nobody is safe from the persistent "police"-like watch the NCAA has over every team in the nation. 

Once you have a great season, everyone's eyes turn to the 100 players that made their school special the previous year. 

This year, Lache Seastrunk and LaMichael James' good friend Willie Lyles opened his mouth to the press. Since then, all hell has broken loose. 

There seems to be allegation after allegation that the Ducks have to avoid to keep focused on their 2011 season. 

In the recruiting business, recruits can be swayed with the snap of a finger, and all of this negative press has affected many recruits in its wake.

5. Javonte Magee, Defensive Tackle

This 6'6" defensive tackle is one of the best in the nation at his position.  It is surprising that he is the only player that Oregon is recruiting from Texas that is ranked in the top 10 in any position. 

It might mean that the Ducks just didn’t find the talent they normally do in Texas, or it could be that Willie Lyles is no longer providing them insider information about the top recruits from the Lone Star State. 

Javonte Magee might be turned off by the Ducks because of their recent mishaps in the Texas recruiting business.  

I wouldn’t be surprised if he chooses to sign with an SEC school in order to stay away from the spotlight that the NCAA is casting upon Eugene, Oregon.

4. Keith Marshall, Running Back

When reading about Oregon and Willie Lyles, one can’t help but notice that running backs are the target of the illegal recruiting violations. 

Keith Marshall, who is interested in Oregon, fits that category perfectly.  He is one of the fastest running backs in the nation, and will start almost immediately on his college campus of choice. 

I think that with Oregon’s depth at running back and their recent problems with the NCAA, the Ducks are out of luck when it comes to the number one running back in the nation.

3. Gunner Kiel, Quarterback

Although he was probably a long shot at best for the Ducks, the recent scandals regarding Willie Lyles and Terrelle Pryor probably pushed him out the door. 

He is the number one quarterback in the nation and doesn’t want to set himself for future starting time for a school that might be on NCAA probation.  He should call up Matt Barkley and ask how much fun it is for a team that can’t play in a bowl game. 

I’m sure he would excel as a Duck. I just think that with all of the recent events surrounding Oregon, Gunner Kiel is going to play his college ball elsewhere.

2. Rushel Shell, Running Back

He is going to be a star at the next level.

As a junior in high school, he rushed for 2,510 yards and 27 touchdowns on an incredible 323 carries. 

He can handle the load that Oregon’s offense needs, yet he is a speed demon in the open field.  This scandal seems to have brought him closer to the Ducks. 

In the recent weeks, he has upgraded his interest to medium.  He has continued to believe Chip Kelly that they didn’t break the rules and increased his interest in the Ducks. 

Maybe he doesn’t care if they are guilty or not, but one thing is apparent: if the Ducks sign Rushel Shell, you can bet they will continue to dominant the college football landscape. 

1. Ellis McCarthey, Defensive Tackle

This recruit seems to be more interested after the scandal than before it.  In the recent weeks, he has begun to limit his list of schools, and Oregon continues to make the cut.

It either means he doesn’t believe the allegations are true, or he is upset that Oregon has not offered him a scholarship.  He is coming off of a very good season where he recorded 69 tackles and 12 sacks as a junior. 

Hopefully, Ellis McCarthy keeps pursuing the Ducks. They could use a mammoth defensive tackle to clog the middle.