Oregon Football Recruiting: Meet Thomas Tyner, the Ducks' Flagship Recruit

For the Oregon fans distressed about losing Darron Thomas, now may be a good time to look up the name “Thomas Tyner” before his name becomes the next big thing in Ducks history.

In my experience, lots of Ducks fans have been highly disgruntled, frustrated and confused by the recent shock that their star quarterback Darron Thomas has elected to turn pro following his first BCS Bowl Victory after their Rose Bowl win against the Wisconsin Badgers. Thomas, 21, has led Oregon to two consecutive BCS bowls and has shown especially strong leadership capabilities with his time as a Duck. With his decision to go pro, however, fans like myself could use something to get excited over.

My best suggestion: it’s time to meet Oregon’s flagship recruit commit, Thomas Tyner.

Some may be quick to notice to notice the strange fixation with the name “Thomas” for the Oregon Ducks (Darron Thomas, De’Anthony Thomas, and now Thomas Tyner), but his name is one of many things that makes him a Duck true to the heart.

Unlike Darron Thomas, Tyner is an Oregon native. A five-star prospect, Tyner’s verbal commitment to Oregon was an especially big perk for the Ducks considering Tyner spent his time in high school in Aloha, OR. Tyner, who said that he had been “going to nearly every Oregon game this year” and that he “got the feeling” that’s where he belonged, has a strong devotion to the city of Eugene already.

The past few generations of Oregon stars have featured out-of-state players who had found Oregon almost by coincidence. Dennis Dixon is from Oakland, CA. LeGarette Blount is from Madison, FL. Jonathan Stewart is from Fort Lewis, WA. Darron Thomas is from Houston, TX. LaMichael James is from Texarana, TX. De’Anthony Thomas is form Los Angeles, CA. Bryan Bennett is from Encinco, CA.

You get the picture. Not since Joey Harrington has a player with this much hype also been from the Oregon area. Perhaps that pride in Oregon could convince Tyner to spend all four years under the Eugene rain. After seeing James, Thomas and Harris leave after their junior years, this could be a big factor in Tyner’s commitment to the Oregon Ducks.

His pride in the school has already been strong. Tyner, who took to Twitter to announce his verbal commitment to the Oregon Ducks, couldn’t have picked a better time to recruit to the team: after an extraordinarily rare Autzen Stadium home loss in Eugene.

Unlike many recruits, Tyner showed that the program itself is the most important asset to deciding what school to attend. To see a blue-chip recruit announce his commitment after a loss is a huge stride for the Oregon Ducks.

Tyner, who turned down offers from multiple SEC teams in order to commit to the University of Oregon, has said that he thinks he “fits pretty well into Oregon’s offense.” Tyner hopes to use his pure athleticism to succeed at the college level. “In Oregon’s spread offense,” he added, “I can go out in the open and use my speed.”

At 6’0” and 200 pounds, Tyner was listed as the number one overall running back on 247sports.com. But what makes him best known is his ability to run.

As a track-runner, Tyner was very drawn to the legendary track-and-field program that the University of Oregon offers.

For good reason, really, as Tyner is considered to be the fastest player to ever come from the state of Oregon.

When he was a sophomore in high school, Tyner recorded the 100-meter dash for a record-setting time: 10.35 seconds.

That season, Tyner went on to win the state championship in football as well as set records in track. With his unique blend of size and speed, Tyner has a remarkable advantage over almost any other back and defensive player on the field.

Coaches in Oregon have come out and said it already:

“He has the physical ability to be the best Oregon has ever had,” said Jesuit High football coach Ken Potter.

“The best way I can describe Tyner is that he’s a difference maker,” said Porter. Which is, of course, a totally fair analysis for a kid who can run a 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds, officially faster than every NFL rookie last season sans Jahvid Best (4.35) and C.J. Spiller (4.37).

My favorite thing about Tyner, however, is his winning attitude and ability to understand the bigger picture of the game.

“That’s the thing,” Tyner said. “I want to be something more. Like maybe a legend or something. Because their story lives on forever.”

One of the more interesting things that I’ve found on Tyner is that a big part of the reason that he chose the University of Oregon is that he wants to study Journalism in college. His interest in broadcasting and telling his own special story is something that is especially remarkable for the young athlete.

“Being great is, ‘Yeah, he was a good player for that time.’ A legend…they know you forever. That’s what I want.”

As someone who is currently studying Journalism at the University of Oregon, I can attest to the fact that there may not be a better place in the world for an aspiring sports journalist.

The journalism program, which began in 1916, is one of the oldest in the country and the school remains devoted to the “rich journalism history” today.

For an athlete interested in both track-and-field and in journalism, Tyner is clearly on the right path.

Thomas Tyner is an example of a multidimensional human being. He is known for playing the piano (“able to listen to a song and translate the notes to piano keys,” according to his mother), and for being a genuinely good guy. “I like to be nice to people,” he said. “I like to open myself up to people. I like to share with people.”

But of course the biggest draw for Tyner is going to be his on-field play. By the time that Tyner is ready to start for the Oregon Ducks, other track stars on the field will surround him as well.

Note the fact that he will be playing alongside California track superstars De’Anthony Thomas and Bryan Bennett.

With the sheer speed that the trio is going to offer, it’s difficult to imagine those who are now worrying about the departure of Darron Thomas to continue that same fear when Tyner puts on the green-and-yellow.

Despite the fact that Tyner is now quite gung ho to the Oregon Ducks on his Twitter account, there’s one thing that I forgot to mention: Tyner is currently entering his second semester of his junior year in high school.

The excitement of seeing him play for Oregon in the coming years is something that has me, and many of the Oregon fans from across the nation, beyond excited. 

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