QUAAAACK: Rivals100 CB Rodrick Pleasant commits to Oregon

Rodrick Pleasant had been one of the top available prospects heading into National Signing Day. All the schools involved made their pitches, and all that was left Wednesday was for the four-star cornerback recruit to announce his college choice. The process was more difficult than that with Oregon and USC battling until the end.

Wednesday, the Rivals100 prospect announced his commitment to the Ducks at a ceremony in the gym at Serra High School in Gardena, California bringing an end to a long process for the speedy defensive back.

There were many layers to the recruiting process for Pleasant. In addition to his talent as a football player, the 5-foot-11 recruit is one of the fastest players in the country and track is something he wants in his future.

He has Olympic aspirations, and the opportunity to compete at a high level in both sports influenced his decision and recruitment.

The Ducks will offer Pleasant the best of both worlds, and that was something that proved to be too big of a hill for other programs to climb.

Add in the defensive-minded staff in Eugene and the direction of the program, and Pleasant found a lot to like about Oregon.

“They are doing something special there," he told Duck Sports Authority recently at the Polynesian Bowl in Hawaii. "Coach [Dan] Lanning is doing something special there."

The Trojans had all the buzz coming out of the Polynesian Bowl making it an even more impressive recruiting victory for Lanning his staff. Serra has a long history of sending its players to the local Los Angeles program, and Pleasant's decision marks the second key addition at the position from a Southern California cornerback being pursued by USC after Daylen Austin signed with the Ducks in December.

Pleasant is now the 15th four-star recruit to commit to Oregon in the 2023 cycle.

"The game featured a lot of speed but there was no faster prospect in attendance than Pleasant, whose ability to stop and start is up there with any prospect in the country. ... There aren't many wide receivers in the country that can outrun Pleasant, and that includes [Zachariah] Branch, who he battled with throughout the week." – Rivals.com's Woody Wommack after Pleasant's time at the Polynesian Bowl