Deommodore Lenoir to Oregon: Ducks Land 4-Star CB Prospect

The 2017 recruiting class for Oregon got a lot stronger thanks to a commitment from cornerback Deommodore Lenoir.

Greg Biggins of Scout.com confirmed the announcement. 

Lenoir is among the best defensive back recruits in the country. He's a 4-star prospect who is the No. 2 cornerback from California, No. 7 cornerback in the nation and No. 59 player overall, per Scout.com. 

The Bishop Mora Salesian High School star has tremendous size already at 6'0" and 170 pounds to make an instant impact on the college level as a true freshman. His scouting report also paints a great picture of what the future will look like.

"He's a strong, physical player and very tough," Scout.com's report says. "He plays with an edge to him and is a fierce competitor. He runs well, plays with excellent technique and has a high football IQ. He has long arms and is very good in press coverage. He can run with faster receivers and shows nice burst out of his breaks."

Defensive backs have taken on an increased role in college with more teams running the spread offense. There are two reasons it's important to load a secondary because of that scheme: shutting down the passing game and helping against the run. 

A shutdown corner immediately forces the quarterback to look in a different direction, taking away half the field. It also leaves additional defenders to play closer to the line of scrimmage in an effort to curb the opposing running game.

The addition of Lenoir is a major coup for new head coach Willie Taggart. The Ducks defense was a disaster last season, allowing the third-most points per game (41.4) in the nation, per Sports-Reference.com.

Lenoir doesn't solve all of those problems on his own, but his addition is a great start for Taggart being able to turn things around quickly. The Ducks rarely have problems putting together a fast-paced offense that can light up the scoreboard. 

However, if Oregon wants to be included in the national conversation once again, defense has to be a point of emphasis for Taggart on the recruiting trail. Stealing Lenoir away from California with Pac-12 powers like USC, Stanford and UCLA right in his backyard is an added bonus.

Lenoir has that kind of upside to go along with tremendous natural instincts on the field. There will always be growing pains for any young player, but having the mental ability to figure out what you need to do will help turn those mistakes into positives quickly.

It can be hard for a true freshman to make an impact because coaches haven't built up trust and a rapport with the young player. Lenoir will have to use his skills to overcome that potential bias, but he has all the skills to be a star at the next level as soon as he steps on campus.