Oregon Football: Position-by-Position Grades for 2015 Recruiting Class

Oregon’s 2014 season may have finished on a disappointing note, but the future looks as bright as ever in Eugene.

The Ducks’ 2015 recruiting class was ranked No. 3 in the Pac-12, trailing USC and UCLA, and the No. 16 class in the country, according to 247Sports.

Despite the fact that Oregon’s best player—Marcus Mariota—opted to take his talents to the NFL, the Ducks are very much in win-now mode. While most of the 2015 recruits won’t have an immediate impact, there’s no doubt that some of them will be an integral part of Oregon’s 2015-16 season.

Here’s a position-by-position breakdown of the Ducks' 2015 recruiting class. These grades are determined by a projection of what impact these players will have on the Oregon program in 2015 and beyond.

Quarterback

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While Oregon’s 2014 Heisman winner won’t be around to see next season, the Ducks weren’t exactly short on QBs heading into 2015.

With Jeff Lockie, Taylor Alie, Ty Griffin and Morgan Mahalak on the roster, the Ducks could have gone without recruiting a QB. However, 4-star dual-threat QB Travis Waller was too good to pass up.

Waller, 6’2”, 189 pounds, was ranked the No. 4 dual-threat QB in the 2015 class and should be a phenomenal fit for Oregon’s “blur” offense. While he likely won’t see the field next season, there’s no question that he’s the QB of the future.

Oregon could have stopped at Waller and been just fine. However, Eastern Washington’s record-setting QB, Vernon Adams Jr., decided that Eugene was the perfect place for him to finish his college career.

There’s no mystery here: Adams will be Oregon’s starting QB next season. Moreover, he should absolutely be counted as a 2015 recruit.

There is no way to replace Marcus Mariota; however, Adams has the ability to lead Oregon to a Pac-12 title and beyond.

Oregon has not only found its 2015 QB in Adams, but it has also got its future QB in Waller. 

Head coach Mark Helfrich and company hit a home run by getting both players. 

Grade: A

Skill Positions

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The Ducks are returning perhaps the best group of skill position players in the entire country next season. With the group of running backs and wide receivers they brought in in 2015, the group may continue to be the best for years to come.

Oregon has brought in three of the top four all-purpose backs in the 2015 class in 4-star recruits Taj Griffin, Malik Lovette and Kirk Merritt. While it’s unclear where those players will actually play on Saturdays, it stands to reason that they’ll be involved in making plays with the ball in their hands.

Griffin, Lovette and Merritt could all play on the defensive side of the ball and might if the Oregon coaches feel it’s a necessity. That being said, Griffin and Lovette are talented running backs who would thrive in Oregon’s offense.

Merritt, on the other hand, is Oregon’s next Byron Marshall or De’Anthony Thomas. He could be a running back, but it’s likely he’ll be a slot receiver for the Ducks and excel in that roll.

Merritt will be joined at wide receiver by 4-star recruit Alex Ofodile from Columbia, Missouri. Ofodile, who is 6’2” and 185 pounds, has already enrolled at Oregon, as has Griffin, and will participate in spring practices. While Ofodile may not see much playing time in 2015, he’s a big part of Oregon’s plan going forward. 

Grade: A

Offensive Line

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Oregon made a strong commitment to bulking up on the offensive line in the 2015 class.

One of the stars of Oregon’s class is Zach Okun, a 4-star guard from California, who is a potential starter in 2015. 

Okun, who enrolled early at Oregon, is one of the most talented guards in the country and, at 6’3”, 340 pounds, has the requisite size to compete against college athletes. Of Okun, Helfrich said, according to GoDucks.net, “Another team captain, honor student. Really powerful first step, great strike close quarters combat type of guy."

The other five linemen are Brady Aiello (4-star from Lafayette, California), Shane Lemieux (3-star from Yakima, Washington), Calvin Throckmorton (3-star from Newport, Washington), Jake Hanson (3-star from Eureka, California) and Drayton Carlberg (3-star from Minneapolis).

Oregon will expect a lot from these recruits as they attempt to replace Jake Fisher, Hroniss Grasu and Hamani Stevens. Aiello and Okun will get a look in 2015, while the other four will likely have a larger roll in 2016 and beyond.

While this class of six is big and will pay future dividends for the Ducks, it could have been even better.

Oregon missed out on a pair of linemen—4-stars Darrin Paulo and Semisi Uluave—who would have really made this group stand apart.

Instead, the Ducks come away with six talented players who should pay future dividends. It was a good haul but not as good as it could have been.

Grade: B

Defensive Line

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The Ducks only brought in four defensive linemen in the 2015 class, but the Oregon coaches are really excited about all of them, especially 5-star defensive end Canton Kaumatule.

Kaumatule, who is already on campus in Eugene, is the No. 16 player and No. 3 defensive end in the country, according to 247Sports.

At 6’7”, 290 pounds, Kaumatule should be able to come in and start from day one for the Ducks. Oregon’s defensive line took a hit when junior Arik Armstead decided to jump to the NFL after this past season. However, Kaumatule is just the player to take his place and will be Oregon’s defensive anchor for years to come.

The other three defensive linemen—Gus Cumberlander (3-star from Ellenwood, Georgia), Gary Baker (3-star from Upland, California) and Rex Manu (3-star from Mililani, Hawaii)—should have a significant impact on the Oregon program as well.

Cumberlander is of particular interest because he was described as the “secret gem” of Oregon’s recruiting class by Helfrich, according to Brianna Amaranthus of CSNNW.com.

Cumberlander, who is 6’6” and 241 pounds, is an athletic specimen the coaches are very excited about. He may not have a significant role in 2015, but he should make a difference down the road. 

Grade: A-

Linebackers

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If there was one group where the Oregon coaching staff failed to bring in a true difference-maker, it was at linebacker.

Despite attempts to pick up some of the best LBs in the country, the Ducks only managed to bring in three players, two of whom are JUCO transfers.

The two JUCO players—Paris Bostick and Jonah Moi—are good players and will likely play for the Ducks in 2015 in reserve roles. Bostick and Moi are both ready to play now, but they may have a huge impact on the team.

With the departures of Tony Washington and Derrick Malone, the Ducks could have really used an influx of young talent in 2015 at linebacker. However, Oregon only brought in one high school linebacker—3-star recruit Fotu Leiato from the state of Washington.

Leiato wasn’t highly recruited, but his high school tape went viral just before signing day. He’s a raw prospect, but he’s absolutely electric. If there’s a player from this class who may surprise everyone in the nation, it’s Leiato.

Grade: C

Secondary

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Oregon needed to bring in a solid secondary class in 2015 after losing seniors Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Erick Dargan and Troy Hill.

While the Ducks lost 3-star safety PJ Locke to Texas on signing day, they did manage to bring in three players who could have a real impact in 2016, if not sooner.

Ugo Amadi, a 4-star cornerback who has already enrolled at Oregon, is the best of the bunch and could play in 2015. Amadi may be the next shutdown cornerback for the Ducks. According to GoDucks.net, Helfrich said of Amadi, “Electric, very powerful. Has the hips and change of direction to play corner, physical enough to tackle."

Amadi may find some playing time this season as Oregon’s secondary tries to replace Dargan, Hill and Ekpre-Olomu. That being said, Chris Seisay and Arrion Springs look like the front-runners at this point. Amadi is a future star for Oregon, but 2016 looks to be the season for him to really make a name for himself.

The other two members of this group—Jihree Stewart (3-star from Corona, California) and Dylan Kane (3-star from Honolulu)—are talented but raw. Both players weigh under 180 pounds and will need to bulk up before making a legitimate impact.

That being said, Oregon has always done a solid job getting the most out of under-recruited and underappreciated defensive backs. Based on past results, Kane and Stewart could be real playmakers for the Ducks.

Grade: B

Statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com unless otherwise stated. All recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports. All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise stated.

Jason Gold is Bleacher Report’s lead Oregon writer. Follow Jason on Twitter @TheSportsGuy33.