Ht: 6-0 Wt: 170
Position: CB
Year: Class of 2012
High School: Cosumnes Oaks HS
(Elk Grove, CA)
4.43 40 3.0 GPA
Marcus Rios is a standout cornerback, rated one of the best 20 in the country by scout.com.
At 6-0, 170, he is physical and athletic, with an aggressive style that would make him a great fit along with Terrance Mitchell, Ifo Ekpre-Olomu and Troy Hill in John Neal’s ballhawking secondary of the future.
Oregon needs him. With Mike Leach and Rich Rodriguez joining the PAC-12 coaching ranks, and elite receivers like Robert Woods, Marqise Lee and Marquess Wilson still with eligibility left, the Ducks need depth at cornerback, athletes who can man up and lock down and aren’t afraid of confrontations.
Rios originally committed to Boise State back in May calling it his dream school. According to Brian Murphy of the Idaho Statesman, former high school teammate and good friend Robert Ash is a defensive end there, and the Cosumnes coaching staff has a great relationship with the Bronco staff.
Since his commitment, however, Rios rapidly gained the attention of schools throughout the entire country, including the entire PAC-12, with an offer list that now includes Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State, Nebraska, UCLA, Utah, Washington, Washington State, Boise State, Cal Poly, Nevada, Sacramento State, UNLV, Notre Dame.
The Ducks visited with him this week, and he’s on the short list of prospects who could help them in the secondary. It becomes a numbers game as December turns to January and the signing day countdown moves inside six weeks. Rios is a player who can complete a class, giving it balance and play-making ability at all three levels of a defense. He’s a natural leader in the Oregon mold, one who lets his play do the talking, a hard hitter and a smart, tough football player with good speed.
A thing coaches like about Rios is that he’s not intimidated. In his first varsity game as a 15-year-old sophomore he returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown.
In this highlight package he shows exceptional ability, a player you can readily see as a perfect addition to a fast, fly-to-the-football defense:
Scouting notes;
Reads a play very well. plays with a physical edge. dangerous with the ball in his hands, has a
playmaker’s flair, aggressive, confident. A hitter. Really comes up aggressively as the force
man. Excellent tackling technique. Plays bigger than 6-0 170. Forceful as the force man, sifts
through blockers , good body control. Comes in low and tackles sure. A bigger Troy Hill. Picks up
the ball in the air, opportunistic gathering in a deflection or a tip. One of those players who
is always around the ball. Breaks on the ball, good hips, change of direction, acceleration. An
athletic corner with a safety’s instincts. Finds the ball on downfield routes and contests it,
battles through the play. A punishing tackler who’ll make a receiver work all game long. Terrific
in pursuit. Stands out in a camp situation as a versatile athlete–can return kicks, punts, even
play receiver, which makes him more dangerous in a secondary. Takes the ball at it’s highest
point, good hands.
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