Jerry Mixon grew up one day hoping to have an opportunity to play at Oregon. Friday, that dream became a reality as the San Francisco (Calif.) Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep standout middle linebacker committed to the Ducks over a final group that included UCLA, Missouri, Arizona and Arizona State.
Oregon jumped into the picture with the 6-foot-2 linebacker in the spring, and he eventually made the trip up to Eugene for the Ducks' spring game sparking his relationship with the coaching staff. A return trip to Oregon a couple weeks ago sealed the decision for Mixon as his connection to the coaches hit a new level.
Despite Oregon being a childhood dream school, Mixon still needed to create a bond with Dan Lanning and the Ducks coaches. His latest trip helped make that happen leading to his decision on Friday.
“They have great coaches," he told Duck Sports Authority. "They’ve got coaches from Alabama, Georgia. Powerhouses of college football. And, I feel like they got a great environment, too. No distractions. Great facility. Just like everybody says, they got all the drip. All the uniforms.”
Finding a place where he can focus on football became a priority for Mixon over the course of his recruitment. Several schools entered the picture, but his time spent around the program in Eugene gave him a different feeling.
The rising senior hopes to one day play in the NFL like his cousin Joe, who is a star running back for the Cincinnati Bengals and a former five-star recruit, and the coaching talent Lanning has assembled around him at Oregon sold Mixon on the Ducks being the right team for him and his future.
"Coach Tosh [Lupoi], that’s my guy,” Mixon said. “I’m super close with him. Then, coach [Jake] Long, we’ve had a lot of great conversations. I’m close with him, and we’ve created a strong bond.”
The Oregon head coach being a defensive-minded coach who just helped lead a team to a national title also played a significant role in his decision.
“That mattered a lot,” he said. “Coach Lanning, I feel like he’ll be helping with the defense more than the offense. Also, he coached one of the best defenses in college football ever, I feel like. Sent a lot of guys to the league.”
Mixon's first game of the season is still a couple weeks away, but getting his decision done before that time has been a goal. He was not necessarily a big fan of the recruiting process, and he is thrilled to be able to focus on his final high school season knowing his future is locked in with the Ducks.
“I feel like it’s super important,” he said about making a summer commitment. “I can play the season stress free, and don’t gotta worry about too much. Also, won’t stress about doing homework on time because I’m taking phone calls late at night and random times. I feel like it’s a great decision that I’ve made to knock it out as early as possible.”
Mixon is now the 14th commitment for Oregon in the 2023 class and the 10th defensive recruit to give the Ducks his pledge in the current cycle. Washington, Cal, Washington State and San Diego State are some of the other schools that offered Mixon over the course of the process.
