With each passing day, the recruitment battle is getting much more intense among the CFB world to get the best players in their teams, but it looks like Oregon’s young prodigy thinks otherwise. In an exclusive interview with Essentially Sports, Oregon Ducks star offensive lineman Marcus Harper II joins us to discuss the reality of high school ratings and unfold the world of college football. A three-star recruit from Homewood Flossmoor is not only displaying remarkable gameplay on the field but also turning into an asset for the team’s offense.

Well, talking about the high school recruits, Essentially Sports host Andrew Whitelaw asked Marcus Harper II which high school prospect Oregon’s head coach Dan Lanning should consider, which can also give an edge to the team. Harper gave a very surprising response to it, saying, “I don’t have a specific name as of right now that could, you know, push anybody down against an edge; I think, you know, fit if a young cat was to come on and he fits, and he embodies all the pillars that we look for over here at Oregon, and it’s a perfect match. And that’s the person that they should go out after. Whether it’s a zero star, three star, or five star, it really should. It doesn’t matter.”

Marcus seems to think that a player’s abilities are not accurately represented by their rankings, so the team should focus on talent rather than stars, which is a straight fact. Furthermore, Marcus elaborated on an additional point regarding the key attribute that Dan Lanning should prioritize when selecting a freshman for the team. According to Marcus, it is crucial for a player to not only possess exceptional skills in their gameplay but also seamlessly integrate with the team’s character. This perspective highlights Harper’s genuine passion and dedication to the team.

Well, talking about his dedication towards the team, Marcus Harper is one of the remarkable offensive linemen of the Oregon Ducks. Last season, Marcus played 749 snaps as a left guard, demonstrating exceptional pass-blocking skills. Out of 432 pass-blocking attempts, he didn’t allow a single sack. Now you can understand what kind of skills he possesses. This year, with speculation of leaving the team for the NFL, Marcus makes his surprising comeback to the team. Let’s know why.

Marcus Harper II’s decision to return to the Ducks

Every CFB player has an ultimate dream of shining bright in the NFL, and turning that dream down is something that is not seen very often. Last year, after making a noteworthy performance, Marcus Harper decided to stay back in the program for one more year.

This is not only shocked by his sudden take on the whole thing. The reason was mainly to improve his stats, but knowing that he already excelled in that, the move was quite skeptical.

However, recently, in an interview with Mirror US Sports, Marcus talked about the actual reason behind his sudden change of mind, saying, “I wasn’t happy with the draft grade that I was getting last year—and I know I’m a star; I know I’m a superstar, so I needed to come back, refine some things, and fix up some small, final details before I can finally put all my chips on the table.”

Well, Harper wants to be the best in every way possible; not a single thing should hold him back. This also reflects the reason why he thinks players’ performance should be the criteria of judgment, not their stars.