On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine: New leader for 5-star EDGE Elijah Rushing

Tucson (Ariz.) Salpointe Catholic five-star EDGE Elijah Rushing released his top 12 schools on Nov. 14. One of the programs who made that list was Oregon.

The Ducks are now trending to land the 6-foot-6, 225-pound pass rusher, following an expert prediction from Justin Hopkins of Scoop Duck. According to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine, Oregon is leading for Rushing at 77.7%.

“I communicate with Oregon on a weekly basis,” Rushing told Sean Nelson of Scoop Duck on March 7.

Rushing expressed high praise of head coach Dan Lanning and defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Tosh Lupoi to Nelson. He added that Lanning is “bringing the program into a great place that can be a contender in college football.”

“I like how coach Lanning and coach Lupoi are both prodigies in my position and people who’ve been known for getting guys into the league,” Rushing said. “The people I went with on my last visit (with) reported early and they all seem cool.”

Rushing is the No. 15 overall prospect and No. 3 EDGE in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 2 player in Arizona.

For more Oregon recruiting intel, check out Scoop Duck.

The five-star told On3’s Chad Simmons on Feb. 17 that his top five schools will receive official visits and he plans to commit ahead of his senior season. Rushing already knows what he wants in a program.

“It is about the scheme and the relationships when I am on visits,” Rushing said. “I am very straight-forward and I just want to learn what each school has for me. I want to see how they could develop me, if I could fit into the scheme and how the coaches are with the players. Those things are what I go into visits looking for.”

Rushing has an On3 NIL Valuation of $266K. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets high school and college athletes’ projected annual value (PAV). The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.

Elijah Rushing On3 Scouting Summary

The following is the On3 Scouting Summary for Elijah Rushing:

“Tall, rangy pass rusher with projectable tools. Has a big frame for a rising junior, checking in at 6-foot-5.8, 224 pounds prior to his junior season. Had a good sophomore year, tallying 7.5 sacks while primarily playing defensive end in a three-man front. Shows disruptive qualities both as a pass rusher and pursuit defender.

“Plays with good bend, particularly for a taller prospect. Posted encouraging athletic testing marks in the combine setting. Will need to continue to add functional strength as he fills out his frame and progresses as a player.”