QUAAAACK: 2023 Colorado edge rusher Blake Purchase commits to Oregon

Four-star edge rusher Blake Purchase has an older brother at Iowa State, and the Cyclones looked like the early leader in his recruitment. However, a delayed summer decision allowed other schools to continue making their push. The standout 2023 prospect from Cherry Creek High School in Colorado finally announced his decision Tuesday night.

Oregon beat out the final group of ISU, Notre Dame, Washington and Colorado for Purchase’s commitment adding another piece to an already impressive recruiting haul for Dan Lanning and the Ducks in the current cycle.

The 6-foot-4, 230-pound defensive end/outside linebacker watched his recruitment explode in the spring and summer with programs such as Texas and Oklahoma become involved in addition to an established group of Power Five schools. He also built a relationship with USC’s coaches and visited that school earlier in the year.

Then a late-summer offer from Notre Dame looked like it could change the course of his recruitment, but Purchase ultimately decided to stick with his plan of making a decision before the arrival of fall.

The interest in the Ducks began early and only became heightened when Lanning and the Oregon staff decided to offer Purchase in the spring. After that, he made the trek out to Eugene for a visit and returned to campus in the summer for an official visit. Iowa State, Washington and Cal all hosted him on official visits as well during June.

Purchase was never secretive about his fondness for the Ducks even as he was mulling his other options.

“The plan coach Lanning and coach (Tosh) Lupoi have for me and them both coaching edges at a high level, definitely that piece and then being a West Coast kid, always seeing Oregon football is a big thing for me,” Purchase recently said. “Every year, Oregon could be a top-five team in the country.”

The success that both Lanning and Lupoi have had leading defenses is something that has been a big part of the process for Purchase. He has great respect for both coaches and what they have accomplished, and that played a role in his strong interest in the Ducks over the last several months.

“He’s really like a high-energy coach,” Purchase said of Lupoi. “I feel like he would definitely coach me hard and get me where I need to be. Also what he’s done in coaching, from being the defensive coordinator at Alabama to being in the NFL coaching, it’s just crazy to see how he could maybe develop me.

“... Me and coach Lanning, seeing someone on TV all the time and then seeing him as a big-time head coach now it’s crazy. To actually get in a room with him you can tell he’s a super down-to-earth guy. He’s definitely a good coach who’s defensive minded, so I really like that.”

Purchase has the size and versatility to fit into a defense in a variety of roles, and Oregon plans to take advantage of his full skill set.

“I’ll definitely be utilized as an edge rusher,” he said. “So ... kind of like DJ Johnson and what he’s playing. It’s called the Jack in their defense. It’s a hybrid defensive end and linebacker.”

Purchase is the ninth commit in the class rated as a four-star prospect, or higher, by Rivals.

The Ducks have continued to load up on defensive prospects in the current recruiting cycle with 13 of the first 18 commitments in the class expected to join the team on that side of the ball. Seven of those players are either defensive linemen or edge rushers including four-star defensive tackle A’mauri Washington, who just committed to the Ducks last Friday.

Purchase is only two games into his senior season, but he wrapped up 2021 with 83 tackles to go along with 18 tackles for loss and 12 sacks.

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