Posted on February 10, 2023
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Oregon cleaned up in the rankings again, USC grabbed a ton of blue-chip talent, and Utah snuck into the Top 25.
Oh, and Colorado became an instant recruiting powerhouse.
It feels like the max exodus of talent from the west, avoiding the Pac-12, is slowing and some schools are having success pulling out of Texas and other non-region states.
I’m not doing a straight-up highest-ranked recruit list. These are incoming true freshmen by how big of an impact I think they will make in 2023.
1. Jaden Rashada, QB, Pittsburgh, CA – Arizona State

Former Notre Dame QB, Drew Pyne, is coming in and Trenton Bourquet—who impressed in 2022, when he came in after an injury—is still on the roster.
But it certainly feels like Rashada could get the job at some point if nothing else but for his giant potential.
2. Dante Moore, QB, Detroit, MI – UCLA

But there’s a chance he doesn’t start this year as UCLA is bringing in talented senior transfer Colin Schlee from Kent State.
Moore looks like he could easily become a star from day one at UCLA, though.
3. Zachariah Branch, WR, Las Vegas, NV – USC

Branch has been compared to Tyreek Hill and that’s about all you need to know.
4. Cormani McClain, CB, Lakeland, FL – Colorado

He should be a starter and could even contend for All-Pac-12 honors as a true freshman.
5. Jurrion Dickey, WR, East Palo Alto, CA – Oregon

There’s a good chance he could be an excellent option to pair with Troy Franklin right away and give Oregon more punch at WR.
6. Makai Lemon, WR, Los Alamitos, CA – USC

Either way, he has a great chance to make a huge impact as a true freshman for the Trojans.
7. Matayo Uiagalelei, DE, Bellflower, CA – Oregon

He’s got all the skills to quickly become a starter for the Ducks and one of the best defensive ends in the Pac-12.
8. Dylan Edwards, RB, Derby, KS – Colorado

Edwards is one of the top running backs coming into the Pac-12 this year and I bet he gets at least a healthy amount of carries.
9. Rodrick Pleasant, CB, Gardena, CA – Oregon

He will have a big opportunity at CB with Christian Gonzalez off early to the NFL.
10. Braylan Shelby, DE, Friendswood, TX – USC

He could make an instant impact, especially on third down.
11. Caleb Presley, CB, Seattle, WA – Washington

The top-rated recruit in the state of Washington should help, and he has a shot to start as a true freshman.
12. Tackett Curtis, LB, Many, LA – USC

They have a lot of experience at linebacker but a player like Curtis can step in and some fresh blood.
Others to Watch
Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Idaho Falls, ID – Oregon
Daylen Austin, CB, Long Beach, CA – Oregon
Hunter Clegg, DE, American Fork, UT – Utah
Ashton Cozart, WR, Flower Mound, TX – Oregon
CJ Blocker, CB, New Caney, TX – Utah
—More from Jack Follman—
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- Jack Follman’s 2023 Pac-12 Football Trap Games
- Jack Follman’s 2022-23 Pac-12 All-NFL Team
- Jack Follman’s Updated Two-Round 2023 NFL Mock Draft
- Jack Follman’s Top 12 Incoming Pac-12 Football Transfers
- Jack Follman’s Way-Too-Early 2023 Pac-12 Bowl Projections
- Jack Follman’s Best 2023 Pac-12 Conference Football Games
- Jack Follman’s Best 2023 Pac-12 Nonconference Games
- Jack Follman’s Way-Too-Early 2023 College Football Top 25
- Jack Follman’s Way-Too-Early All-Pac-12 Teams for 2023
- Jack Follman’s Christmas 2023 Pac-12 NFL Mock Draft
- Jack Follman’s 2022 SuperWest Pac-12 All-Freshman Teams
- Jack Follman’s 2022 SuperWest All-Pac-12 Football Teams
- Jack Follman’s 2022 SuperWest Pac-12 Annual Awards
- Jack Follman’s 10 Thoughts on Week 13 in the West
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Jack Follman’s Best Football Transfer for Each Pac-12 Team
Each Pac-12 team has at least one key transfer coming in for 2023, and many have a few - March 28, 2023 -
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Marquee showdowns get the most attention but trap games frequently decide the season - March 27, 2023 -
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