First Hand: Jaylon Redd analysis
In what is becoming a mainstay in the world of elite prep football camps, Rivals.com and Under Armour teamed up once again in 2016 to bring you the Rivals Camp Series presented by Under Armour. Consisting of 15 regional camps and QB Challenges, the events combine the nation’s best coaches and trainers with the top high school talent, culminating in a gathering of the regional position MVP’s at the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge.
An offshoot of the Camp Series is the ILLSPEED Tour where the nation’s top athletes compete in five regional events which objectively test athleticism using combine-style drills. In 2016 the best of the best was Jaylon Redd.
And on Monday he committed to the Oregon Ducks.
Needless to say between the Los Angeles Regional Camp, the iLLSPEED series and the Five-Star Challenge, Rivals.com analysts got a very good look at the nation’s No. 98-ranked overall prospect.
“Redd is absolutely explosive, he reaches top speed so quickly that he will be a perfect fit with what the Ducks want to do and I think he’s going to be a special teams star,” assessed Rivals National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell.
“On special teams, with his speed and elusiveness, he can gain yards quickly to get way better starting field position,” added National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney.
Jaylon Redd does it all for Rancho Cucamonga; defensive back, punt returner, kick returner, wide receiver, running back and variations thereof. His junior highlight film is a case in that point. No two consecutive clips highlight plays from the same side of the ball. It is a film riddled with alternating touchdowns and interceptions.
“Redd is one of the few players in California this recruiting cycle who could truly be an asset in all three phases and it's a big reason why he was attracted to the Ducks since they offered,” observed Gorney. “The Oregon coaches have compared him to Charles Nelson and even if he's slightly smaller than Nelson he brings similar qualities to the field.”
While Duck fans will likely see their first glimpses of him on special teams, whether his next step will be intercepting the ball or catching touchdowns is a matter open to debate.
“On offense, Redd could be used out of the backfield or as a slot receiver and if he gets to the edge he can gain yards quickly,” said Gorney. “On defense, even though he's undersized, he's a physical defensive back who is a playmaker.”
“I think he’s a better fit on offense because his ball skills are solid and he can be more dangerous with the ball in his hands than defending the ball,” evaluated Farrell. “But he’s also thickly built with strong lower legs and the ability to play physical on defense if needed as well. Speed is the name of the game in the Pac-12 and this kid has it to burn.”
No matter where Jaylon Redd ends up on the field, his playmaking potential is extreme, and as an addition to Oregon’s 2017 recruiting class, his signature will be huge.