Tracking Oregon's 2012 National Signing Day Targets

As National Signing Day approaches, college football fans are like little kids on Christmas morning as they await to see what surprises await their program for years to come.

When the 2011 season finally wrapped up, Oregon closed out the season with another Pac-12 title and a Rose Bowl Victory. With that now behind them, Chip Kelly is looking to bring in another strong recruiting class and keep this well oiled machine going.

Here in this slideshow, we are going to take a look at all of the recruits that have been linked with the Oregon Ducks football program. Some of these players have already verbally committed to the school, while others are still weighing their options. 

As National Signing Day approaches and arrives, this slideshow will be continually updated to reflect the new status of all recruits that Oregon is hoping to see in a Ducks uniform.

Enough of the talk, here is a look at what the future of the Oregon Ducks football program looks like.

Joe Penkala is a B/R National Featured Columnist who covers college football. You can contact him @joepenkala.

Arik Armstead, Defensive End, Pleasant Grove HS, Elk Grove, California

Arik Armstead is one of the best defensive linemen in the nation and brought his recruiting to an end by announcing he would be attending the University of Oregon today.

Armstead has a huge frame, standing at 6'8", and has elite speed that makes him an effective pass rusher. He is currently ranked No. 61 overall by Rivals.com and the No. 2 overall recruit by Scout.com. 

Verbally Committed to Oregon (Updated Sunday January 29th at 6:31 P.M. EST)

Shaq Thompson, Safety, Grant HS, Sacramento, California

Many believe that Oregon had a shot at landing Shaq Thompson until the news broke that Chip Kelly was seriously considering an offer from Tampa Bay. Since Kelly's return, he has gotten right back to recruiting and has put a full court press on the nation's top-rated safety by Rivals.com. 

While it appears that Cal is the front runner to receive his letter of intent, the Ducks believe they still have a shot at landing him. 

Committed to Washington 1/30

Thomas Johnson, Wide Receiver, Skyline HS, Dallas, Texas

It appears that as National Signing Day approaches, the battle for Thomas Johnson, the nation's No. 4 wide receiver by Rivals.com, has continued to heat up. During his senior season, Johnson put up over 1,000 yards receiving and caught 13 touchdowns.

Currently it appears that Johnson will end up as an Aggie but National Signing Day has taught college fans to wait until the letters are in.  

Committed to Texas A&M on 2/1

Bryan Harper, Athlete, Colony HS, Ontario, California

Bryan Harper has still yet to verbally commit to a school and Oregon is hoping that they can get him to make his way to Eugene in the fall. Harper has incredible speed but is still weighing his options that include some of the nation's elite.

Harper is currently unranked by both Rivals.com and Scout.com but could become a household name once he gains some experience at the collegiate level. 

Committed to Arizona on 2/1

Chance Allen, Wide Receiver, Elkins HS, Missouri City, Texas

During his high school career, Chance Allen continually showed improvement year after year. During his senior season, Allen hauled in 10 touchdowns and 892 yards of receiving. 

Currently, Allen is listed as the No. 94 overall receiver by Rivals.com and is a soft verbal to Oklahoma State, but many believe that he has yet to finalize any decision. 

Committed to Oregon on 2/1

Alex Balducci, Defensive End, Central Catholic HS, Portand, Oregon

Alex Balducci is a much needed addition for the Ducks as he will provide a strong pass rush presence. In his senior season, Balducci averaged a half sack per game and was consistently around the ball. He is currently the No. 2 ranked recruit in the state of Oregon and No. 8 at his position by Rivlas.com.

During his recruitment, Balducci received offers from teams like Boise State and Washington, but is currently a solid verbal with Oregon.

Verbally Committed to Oregon 

Brett Bafaro, Linebacker, Liberty, Hillsboro HS, Oregon

Brett Bafaro is exactly what Coach Chip Kelly looks for in his defensive scheme. Bafaro is a fast and strong linebacker that can play from sideline to sideline. He currently runs the 40-yard-dash in 4.6 seconds and can bench 300 pounds.

Bafaro had many offers including Boise State, Colorado, Washington and Utah but was already given Oregon a verbal commitment. He is currently the No. 23 ranked linebacker by Rivals.com. 

Verbally Committed to Oregon 

Bryce Cottrell, Defensive End, Plano West HS, Plano, Texas

The recruitment of Bryce Cottrell has really picked up as many schools are looking for him to come and help out on their defensive line. For a while now, Cottrell has been an Oregon commit, but after a recent offer from Texas, Cottrell had a change of heart and changed his commitment and is heading to the University of Texas.

Cottrell is currently the No. 42 ranked linebacker by Rivals.com but based on the recent interest by Texas, he may be a diamond in the rough.  

Verbally Committed to Texas (Updated on January 30 9:00 PM EST) 

Evan Baylis, Tight End, Grandview HS, Aurora, Colorado

Evan Baylis is the ninth-ranked tight end in this year's class according to Rivlas.com and is exactly what Chip Kelly looks for at Oregon. While his numbers dipped as a senior, it hasn't stopped the offers from rolling in.

Baylis was given offers from UCLA, Stanford, Michigan, Colorado, Boise State and more, but has verbally committed to the Oregon Ducks.

Verbally Committed to Oregon 

Pharaoh Brown, Tight End, Brush HS, Lyndhurst, Ohio

Pharaoh Brown is the third-rated tight end in the 2012 class according to Rivlas.com and deserves every bit of recognition that he gets. Standing at 6'7", Brown is a huge target that will cause issues for any linebacker or safety that tries to pick him up in coverage.

With the skills that Brown brings to the Ducks, he will fit nicely into Chip Kelly's offense who has seen tight ends like Ed Dickson and David Paulson. 

Verbally Committed to Oregon 

DeForest Buckner, Defensive End, Punahou HS, Honolulu, Hawaii

To help strengthen the defensive line, Oregon showed interest in defensive end DeForest Buckner. Buckner is an extremely agile end that can get off the ball quickly and get after the quarterback.

He currently is the No. 2 overall recruit in the state of Hawaii and is 17th overall at his position based on Rivlas.com.

Buckner collected over eight offers during his high school career, but ultimately will end up in Eugene playing for the Ducks.

Verbally Committed to Oregon 

Byron Marshall, Running Back, Valley Christian HS, San Jose, California

For the second straight year, it looks like Oregon may have swiped a strong talent away from a USC offer. Byron Marshall is the eighth-ranked running back in the nation according to Rivlas.com and is also an ESPN 150 recruit.

Marshall is a scoring machine out of California that passed up on offers from Notre Dame, Cal, USC and many more in favor of Oregon.

Verbally Committed to Oregon 

Jake Rodrigues, Quarterback, Whitney HS, Rocklin, California

During Jake Rodrigues' senior year, he managed to post 43 total touchdowns and is a true run and pass threat. His strong finish to high school career got him noticed and landed him on Rivals.com list as the fifth best quarterback in this class.  

Rodrigues also collected an impressive offer list, but ultimately his abilities as a dual-threat quarterback seemed to work best with Chip Kelly and Oregon, leading to his verbal commitment. 

Verbally Committed to Oregon 

Dwayne Stanford, Wide Receiver, Taft HS, Cincinnati, Ohio

Dwayne Stanford is a big part of the Oregon recruiting class due to the lack of depth the Ducks have at the wide receiver position. Stanford stands at 6'5" and 185 pounds, and could become a big target down the field. 

During his senior year, Stanford hauled in nine touchdowns and also had over 15 offers at major universities. He is ranked as the No. 23 overall wide receiver by Rivals.com. 

Verbally Committed to Oregon 

Eric Amoako, Defensive Back, Martin HS, Arlington Texas

Eric Amoako is one half of the Amoako brothers that could be heading to Eugene this fall. Eric is a speedy corner that could continue to keep the Ducks deep at that position. 

During his senior season, Eric had three interceptions, 59 total tackles and made it known that Oregon was his school of choice. He finished his high school career as the No. 57 ranked defensive back by Rivals.com. 

Verbally Committed to Oregon 

Stephen Amoako, Defensive Back, Martin HS, Arlington, Texas

Just like his brother, Stephen Amoako is a fast corner that will be making his way up to Eugene. During his senior year, he also had three interceptions, but did not pile up the amount of tackles of his brother Eric.

While only ranked 62 overall by Rivals.com in terms of defensive backs in this years class, Amoako would make a welcome addition to the Ducks secondary.  

Verbally Committed to Oregon 

Stetzon Bair, Defensive Tackle, Iowa Western C.C. HS, Council Bluffs, Iowa

While not as well known as many of the other recruits, Stetzon Bair is huge and could be a handful to block once he arrives in college. Bair is currently unranked by Rivals.com. 

Standing at 6'8" and 265 pounds, many are already comparing him to Brandon Bair, former Oregon player, and if it plays out, the Ducks will have found a great player.

Verbally Committed to Oregon 

Terrence Daniel, Defensive End, Bishop O'Dowd HS, Oakland, California

Terrence Daniel is another defensive lineman that could be a huge help for Oregon down the road. Much like the other recruits Oregon has gone after, Daniel fits the mold of being a strong and quick end that can get off the ball with some speed.

Daniel is currently on Rivlas.com's radar as the 45th overall defensive end and could help the Ducks turn a weakness into a strength.  

Verbally Committed to Oregon 

Reggie Daniels, Defensive Back, Hamilton HS, Chandler, Arizona

Reggie Daniels is a ball-hawking safety that should make a big impact at the next level. During his senior season, Daniels managed to pick off five passes and recorded six pass breakups. 

Daniels currently has offers from Michigan, Nebraska, Arkansas, Notre Dame and more, but will likely be wearing a Ducks uniform this fall. He is also the No. 23 defensive back in the class and the No. 8 ranked player in Arizona by Rivals.com.

Verbally Committed to Oregon  

Oshay Dunmore, Athlete, Newport HS, Newport, Oregon

Oshay Dunmore is listed as an athlete, and for good reason. During his senior season, Dunmore had the ability to not only throw the ball but also take off and run with more efficiency. 

During his senior year, Dunmore threw for 790 yards and eight touchdowns, but also rushed for 2,124 yards and 25 scores. He currently sits as the 36th best athlete by Rivals.com.

Verbally Committed to Oregon  

Jeff Lockie, Quarterback, Monte Vista HS, Danville, California

Jeff Lockie is an interesting recruit for the Oregon Ducks. Lockie is viewed as more of a pro-style type of quarterback, which is not something that would seem to mesh well with the Oregon offense. Despite the contrasts in style, Lockie has verbally committed to becoming part of the Ducks program.

Lockie is currently unranked at his position but is the 91st best player from the state of California by Rivals.com. 

Verbally Committed to Oregon 

Kyle Long, Offensive Line, Saddleback C.C., Mission Viejo, California

Kyle Long is a mountain of a recruit and appears to be heading to Eugene to play with the Ducks. Long is 6'7" and 285 pounds and has played offensive tackle. With his big frame and solid speed, Long should do well in the Oregon system. 

By already having some experience under his belt as a junior college transfer, Long can come in and make an impact right away. 

Verbally Committed to Oregon 

Cody Carriger, Defensive End, Butte HS, Butte, Montana

Cody Carriger is one of the more solid recruits out of the state of Montana, currently ranked No.3 by Rivals.com, but will likely be one of the forgotten players of this recruiting class. Carriger is being brought to Oregon to play defense and could blossom in to a much better player in the Oregon system. 

Verbally Committed to Oregon