Matayo Uiagalelei Places Oregon in Final 3

Uiagalelei has been on Oregon's radar for a long time, dating back to the recruitment of his older brother, former Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei in the class of 2020.

Matayo has shined on the big stage for the Braves his entire high school career, even pitching in as a dominant tight end at times. In 2022 he's focused on refining his skills as an edge rusher and is on the verge of a state title.

On the recruiting trail, the Ducks have been going head-to-head with the Trojans and the Buckeyes for months, as all three schools have earned official visits. Uigalelei also made it out to Eugene for a visit earlier this season when St. John Bosco played Central Catholic at Autzen Stadium. 

Georgia looked like they were getting into the mix late here, but on Wednesday 247's Greg Biggins reported that Uiagalelei won't be taking that official visit to Athens. He'll make his commitment during the early signing period, which begins on Dec. 21. All three of his finalists are expected to make in-home visits to lay out their final pitches.

It looks like one factor in particular will be key in his decision.

"I think I've always been about player development," he told Ducks Digest in a previous interview. "Just me going somewhere and them making me the best person, the best player I could possibly be. Them pushing me to get to where I wanna go. That's kind of a broad term. Gotta have a good relationship with the staff. It has to be the like the right fit, whatever the defensive scheme is or what you think you are. Overall, just like a vague statement--just player development."

Torres' Take

I've covered this recruitment pretty closely being around Bosco a lot this season and I've never quite gotten the feel that Oregon was in the lead.

I really thought and still think this is a USC vs. Ohio State battle. Lincoln Riley has made it clear that he's going to try and put up a fence around Los Angeles when it comes to keeping top recruits home. Uiagalelei been out to USC multiple times this season, most recently for the Notre Dame game, and USC's defense has shown growth this season.

For Ohio State, it's hard to find any knock on that program when it comes to developing pass rushers. The Bosa brothers are the most obvious example, but Larry Johnson continues to pump out first round draft picks at that position and the Buckeyes are always in the mix for the playoff.

For Oregon, they've gotten him on campus and done what they can to stay in the mix, but to me it feels like they're putting more of their efforts into flipping David Hicks from Texas A&M. 

To be clear, a lot can happen between now and the early signing period, but I just haven't gotten the feel that the Ducks are in a great spot.