Redd tempted to commit during visit
Rancho Cucamonga star athlete Jaylon Redd has been traveling lately. Three weeks ago it was the iLLSPEED Championships in Baltimore then last week it was Eugene, Oregon for the Ducks’ annual Spring Game.
The four-star rated prospect filled Duck Sports Authority in on the details of both trips.
“The iLLSPEED Challenge was fun,” summarized Redd. “That was a great experience competing with dudes from all across the country. Meeting new faces, meeting new people was really cool.”
Part of the fun in Baltimore for Redd was the fact that he emerged as the champion of the event; the fastest of the fast. But it was not simply speed that won the day. Reaction and agility played a big part as well.
“Basically at the starting line it was all about reaction time,” Redd explained. “When the laser flashed that’s when you took off. After you started there were two side, right and left and there were two more lasers. Whichever laser flashed there you had to go to that side which is all about reaction as well. So then you go around the bags which was agility-type of work, then you go through the ladder. Then you sprint right back to where you started, grab a ball and go run a 40.”
The trip to Eugene was also a resounding success.
“It was great actually,” said Redd. “I had a great time. The place was great, the fan base. I felt very welcome so it was a great overall experience.
“I like the DB’s and the defense. On the offense, they didn’t show too much obviously but I think their offense fits me perfectly. Charles Nelson was only in for about three drives but they feed him the ball. That is how I want to be used when I’m on the offensive side of the ball. And there were more than 24,000 people there and it was only a spring game.”
Aside from the Spring Game itself it was the people he met that made his highlight reel.
“The best part about this trip was that every time I met somebody it seemed they were excited to see me,” said Redd. “The coaches made us feel so welcome. It was like they didn’t want me to leave. I would walk to the bathroom and six people would talk to me about what they like about Oregon; people I didn’t even know. It was cool. I could not have felt more welcome.”
Making the trip north with Redd was teammate and fellow four-star prospect Thomas Graham who told Duck Sports Authority that Oregon played “all their cards right” during his visit. Redd agreed.
“He is exactly right they did play all their cards right. They were equally excited about us both being there. I am glad I went up there with him, my teammate, because of the chemistry. They talked about our film and what we do the same, what we do differently, all kinds of stuff like that and how they would use us. So it was cool going up there with him because we both had a wonderful time.”
A couple days after the Spring Game the Ducks received a commitment from one of the attendees San Diego-area running back CJ Verdell who told DSA he almost committed during the visit. Apparently he was not the only one.
“I’m not going to lie to you, I was tempted to commit on the trip,” admitted Redd. “It felt so good at the moment it was like ‘dang, this is perfect.’ But then again I have to look at my options, I can’t just jump on one at this particular time.”
But did the trip help the Ducks?
“I already like the Ducks a lot but it actually made me like them more because now I can put faces with the names. Things I had heard about I got to experience for myself so it definitely moved the needle for me.”