SNL Recap: Receiving Corps Dominant

Upwards of 90 recruits took the field at Autzen Stadium Saturday for Oregon’s annual Saturday Night Live event.

The group mostly consisted of 2026 recruits who Oregon is trying to make an early push for as the 2025 class starts to take shape.

Here I’ll run through each position group and highlight some of the top performers, players who received extra attention from coaches, and even more notes from SNL.

Quarterbacks:

The big standout to me in this group was Bastrop (TX) quarterback Weston Nielsen.

Despite having a slightly unconventional release, Nielsen throws a highly accurate ball with good tempo and a tight spiral.

He made a number of nice passes to different areas of the field and was the most impressive signal-caller I saw.

Running Backs:

Texas High School running back Tradarian Ball couldn’t have had a better day as he started the afternoon by committing to Oregon then showed out in the evening at SNL.

The biggest thing I took away from his performance were his unbelievable receiving skills, making a number of receiver-like catches and running sharp routes in the process.

Fans have every reason to be excited about what he can bring for Oregon’s 2026 class.

Pass-Catchers:

Duncanville (TX) wide receiver and Oregon commit Dakorien Moore did his thing at SNL, running elite routes and making a circus catch in the back of the endzone during the pass skeleton drills.

Nothing too surprising but it was good to see him in-person for the first time and get a feel for what he brings to the table.

Mater Dei (CA) receiver Chris Henry Jr. was another standout despite being on the receiving end of some poor passes downfield.

His route fluidity and physicality at 6-5 make him nearly impossible to cover for the majority of defensive backs and this held true at SNL.

North Forney (TX) receiver Nate McCoy II made a number of great plays at all three levels of the field including a difficult turnaround catch in the endzone through tight coverage as well as intermediate routes that created separation.

Perhaps the biggest standout of the entire day was Reidsville (NC) tight end Kendre Harrison.

It’s almost impossible to overstate what I saw from him today, showcasing butter-smooth route running, elite hands and catch radius, outstanding speed (for a player of any size, let alone one who’s 6-6 and 250 lbs), and unbelievable physicality even in non-contact drills.

He caught almost everything thrown his way and talked trash to opposing defensive backs in the process, showing passion for the game even in drills.

Linemen:

Unfortunately, linemen on both sides of the ball worked opposite the media section at SNL, giving limited opportunities for analysis.

The only players I got to see real reps from were St. Frances Academy (MD) OL Immanuel Iheanacho and Mater Dei (CA) DL TomTom Topui.

Iheanacho fully looks the part of a high-level Power Four starter at the tackle spot. He has a stout lower body, long arms, and ample power to move the line of scrimmage.

Topui was much more fluid than I expected, working through cones at an alarming speed for a player of his size.

Oregon fans should hope the Mater Dei pipeline plays a part in his recruitment as he’d be a great player to have on the roster.

Linebackers:

Another tough group to assess due to viewing angle, I was only able to get cohesive notes on one linebacker, McKay Madsen out of Clovis North (CA).

Despite being listed at running back, I thought Madsen seemed natural at inside linebacker and performed well in coverage, deflecting a pass in the skeleton drill and giving an imposing presence at 6-2 and 235 lbs.

Secondary:

A number of players showed out in the secondary which was tough to do given the quality of receiving talent present at SNL.

5-star safety Trey McNutt from Shaker Heights (OH) looked every bit as good as his billing, gliding around and almost effortlessly keeping pace with even the fastest receivers.

McNutt commits Aug. 3 and Oregon fans should keep a close eye on him as his recruitment seems to be razor close between Texas A&M and the Ducks.

Archbishop Hoban (OH) cornerback Elbert Hill flew around the field Saturday, breaking up quality passes to good receivers throughout the evening. He does a great job recovering from a receiver’s break to make plays on the ball and gave pass-catchers trouble every time he was on the field.

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Coaches’ Favorites:

It’s always worth noting who coaches gravitated towards as it can be an indicator of the players they want most and think they have the best chance at landing a commitment from.

Players I noticed receiving extra attention and coaching from Oregon’s staff included The Bishop’s School (CA) quarterback Cash Herrera on offense.

Defenders getting more looks than average included cornerback Elbert Hill, Aliquippa (PA) cornerback Larry Moon III, and most notably Trey McNutt who coaches are undoubtedly zeroing in on ahead of his upcoming commitment.

I certainly didn’t catch every coach-player interaction but these were a few that went beyond typical drill instructions.

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A group loaded with elite talent was sure to produce an exciting evening, but Oregon’s Saturday Night Live over-delivered this year. From dominant pass-catchers to lockdown defensive backs, Oregon fans should be excited about the possibility of landing practically any of the recruits who made an appearance at SNL.