After an official weekend visit to Oregon, Flower Mound (Texas) Marcus Top247 2023 recipient Ashton Cozart announced his involvement with the Ducks.
Cozart has been verbal in Oklahoma since February. He becomes the No. 5 signing for the head coach Dan Lanning and the Oregon employees in their first year in the ascending senior cycle.
“PNW is my home,” Cozart told 247Sports over the weekend.
“It just feels right to be here now Dan Lanning Era and staff is special and cannot be explained.
“It’s something special.”
Cozart shows some special skills in the film. As a junior, he used his 10.74 speed in the 100-yard dash to turn 36 receptions into 680 yards and 11 touchdowns. After his senior season, he will play in the Under Armor All-American Game.
“He’s a different kid from everyone else I’ve coached in this class because of his size, and he’s got long arms, a long torso, and he’s fast,” said trainer Margin Hooks. Hooks is a standout pass catcher at BYU and has coached some of the best receivers in the country over the past few cycles. “It’s a plus for him because he can score the ball high. He can do things a little man can do, but do things a big man can do. It’s a mix. I love the aggressiveness and competitiveness of the child. I think he’s going to be a home run hitter in college, someone who can change the field on the fly.”
Cozart is ranked the #17 recipient in the nation and #140 prospect overall by the Top247.
“The multi-sport data suggests that Cozart has a lot of potential for development,” said Gabe Brooks, 247Sports National Analyst and a Lone Star State native. “We’re looking for proven speed, whether it’s on the track or in testing, and he’s delivered on both with impressive numbers. He was really good in the 7v7 context and had an encouraging year as a junior and I would expect him to be the main draw for his team this fall. “
Oregon has a need for receivers on the list, and they’re addressing it in spades as Cozart joins another blue-chipper Jurion Dickey, the #9 recipient in the Top247. Dickey is an explosive playmaker who excels in all facets of the game and will play in the All-American Bowl.
“You get two guys who complement each other very well,” said Cooper Petagna, national analyst at 247Sports. “You have a big body in Dickey that is not only dynamic at the point of catch but also as a threat to a run after catch. Then you have the speed and playmaking ability of Ashton Cozart who isn’t just a vertical threat, but a guy who is versatile and can play indoors and outdoors. The idea of building a receiver room is like a basketball team, and it’s two guys pushing each other to the limit.”
“Any time you can add multiple offensive weapons with the physical specs and proven athleticism and multi-layered context that these guys have, it’s a good thing,” Brooks added.
Oregon also added the Top247 receiver Kyler Kasper to the Class of 2022, a reclassification to the 2023 cycle. Like Dickey and Cozart, he was an All-American as Lanning, Junior Adams and companies set a standard for the caliber of the pass catcher they will take in Eugene under this regime.