The Hotline is delighted to provide college football fans with a regular dive into the recruiting process through the eyes and ears of Brandon Huffman, the Seattle-based national recruiting editor for 247Sports. He submitted the following report on Feb. 28 …
With national recruiting more popular these days — family travel to games is largely covered by NIL money, and every game is televised or streamed — seeing your son play is easier than ever.
Even in a conference on the other side of the country.
While schools want to recruit inside their state borders, they’re also targeting key recruits from outside the friendly confines of home.
Here is a look at one key out-of-state target on offense in the 2026 class for the Pac-12 legacy programs.
Arizona: QB Oscar Rios (Downey, California)
The one-time Purdue commit opened up his recruitment after playcaller Graham Harrell was let go, and now the Wildcats are making a big push for him. They will get an official visit in mid-June with the hopes that offensive coordinator Seth Doege, who is part of the Harrell/Kliff Kingsbury coaching tree, can reel him in.
Arizona State: QB Jake Fette (El Paso)
Fette committed to the Sun Devils in September, before they went on to win the Big 12 title and a quarterfinal spot in the College Football Playoffs. How important was Fette? The day after Arizona State’s win over Texas State on a Thursday night in September, Kenny Dillingham stayed in Texas and, with his director of scouting, Deontrae Cooper, flew to El Paso to watch Fette play on that Friday.
Cal: TE Taimane Purcell (Honolulu)
The Bears have made no secret about wanting to push through in Hawaii and felt emboldened when they got quarterback Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele. Now, they’re pursuing Purcell, the No. 3 recruit in the state in 2026. He plays for the same 7-on-7 program that Sagapolutele does, as well, (Team PALA). And the Bears are hoping they can strike lightning twice.
Colorado: WR Cederian Morgan (Alexander City, Alabama)
The No. 2 receiver in the country, Morgan has six official visits lined up for the spring — four are to SEC schools and one to an ACC school. So the Buffaloes are in good company given who they’re competing against. He’ll visit Boulder in early May, the first of his six stops. They hope to wow him but then will have to hold on.
Oregon: WR Chris Henry Jr. (Santa Ana, California)
Henry has been committed to Ohio State for over a year, and the son of the former Bengals receiver seems likely to stick with the Buckeyes. The one constant in his recruitment has been Oregon’s pursuit. A number of his Mater Dei High School teammates have signed with the Ducks or are committed to them. So they aren’t going away.
Oregon State: QB Deagan Rose (Clovis, California)
Coach Trent Bray hit a home run with his 2025 quarterback signee, a four-star prospect who picked the Beavers over Oregon and Auburn. And he hasn’t wavered, which is even more significant. Holding on is the key now, but so far, they’ve been able to stave others off.
Stanford: WR Ryelan Morris (Honey Grove, Texas)
Morris committed to Baylor last July, but the Cardinal was able to secure an official visit from him (so too, did Oklahoma). He’ll visit Stanford in May, then take trips to Norman and Waco. But the Cardinal hope to flip him prior to that point.
UCLA: WR Jaron Pula (Provo, Utah)
The Bruins received a commitment in the fall but must hold on to the Utah standout. His hometown team, Brigham Young, is doing everything possible to flip him. But with a receiver-heavy class so far in 2026, Pula is UCLA’s highest-rated recruit.
USC: QB Jonas Williams (New Lenox, Illinois)
USC flipped Williams from Oregon, a rare head-to-head win over the Ducks in the era of Dan Lanning and Lincoln Riley. This was a big one for the Trojans, with Williams continuing to rise. After they flipped Husan Longstreet from Texas A&M last year, is Riley showing he’s back? Could be.
Utah: QB Peyton Falzone (Nazareth, Pennsylvania)
The four-star from the Keystone State is set to visit Utah in April, and the Utes are in a good spot for him. Iowa is also expected to receive a visit but already has a commit in the 2026 class in Cash Herrera. In contrast, Falzone has been a primary target of the Utes and their new offensive coordinator Jason Beck. They hope he doesn’t leave Salt Lake City without committing.
Washington: QB Brady Smigiel (Newbury Park, California)
The one-time Florida State commitment opened up his recruitment, but the Huskies had him sneak in for a visit in December. An advantage: His father played at Arizona, where UW coach Jedd Fisch and offensive coordinator Jimmie Dougherty first offered Smigiel, so the relationship goes back a while. He’s the top quarterback on Washington’s board, and the Huskies hope that relationship wins out.
Washington State: QB Jacob Chambers (Rancho Cucamonga, California)
The same school that produced a one-time late bloomer named CJ Stroud is at it again with Chambers. He committed earlier this month to Sacramento State, but as soon as he committed, more schools got involved, including Washington State. The Cougars are in line to get an official visit from him.
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