The Oregon Ducks have several key veterans returning on both sides of the ball, and they'll be counted on to lead the Ducks to a Pac-12 title. But Oregon will also need a few new recruits to help the team win games.
Not every recruit will contribute right away, and most of the players might not make their real impact for another year or two. But each year, a few additions find a way to contribute early. With that in mind, here are 3 Oregon recruits who will become stars in their first season.
3. ILB AJ Hotchkins
Hotchkins is only a three-star recruit, but he enrolled early at a position of need. Both of the team's starting MLBs are graduating, and Hotchkins is the top ILB the Ducks signed. He's also a junior college recruit, meaning he needs to make an early impact since he only has two years of eligibility. He's the top JUCO ILB in the nation and enrolled early. Hotchkins may not be Kiko Alonso 2.0, but expect him to make an early impact for Oregon.
2. WR Dillon Mitchell
The Ducks aren't losing too much at WR, but expect Mitchell to find a way to play early. He's a perfect fit for Oregon's offense, and the four-star recruit enrolled early. That will help him learn the offense and develop a rapport with his new QB. Mitchell has a chance to develop into the next big-play threat for Oregon and could be that player during his freshman year. For more on Oregon's recruting class, download the Chat Sports Android and iPhone app.
1. QB Dakota Prukop
Prukop, unlike the first two players on this list, isn't technically recruit. This is cheating a little bit since he's actually a transfer from FCS school Montana State. He was highly sought after, with Oregon beating out Alabama, Texas and Michigan for Prukop. He's already on campus and has a great chance to succeed another FCS transfer, Vernon Adams. The Ducks struggled without Adams last season, and they'll need Prukop to play well. The dual-threat posted 39 TDs in 11 games last year, and could put up similar numbers in Oregon's offense.
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