Don't squander the brand: kids all over the country want to be Ducks

Several years ago when DSH started my writing adventure, the site got an unsolicited email with a highlight film from an undersized tailback from Florida.

His name was Fabian Moreau, and he wanted desperately to be a Duck.

Fabian was a good football player but not highly rated, about 5-9, 165, an 11.2 hundred guy who didn't quite make the Ducks radar.

Maybe he should have. We touted him all of that year in 2011 with weekly highlights and updates. He wasn't as fast as Thomas Tyner or De'Anthony Thomas, so Oregon never picked him up.

Late in the recruiting cycle Moreau got an offer from UCLA and made the roster as a defensive back. He steadily improved, making 2nd team All-PAC 12, drafted in the third round by Washington in the NFL. Age  23 now, he has 9 tackles and a pass deflection through 5 games in his first season as a pro.

Fabian Moreau achieved his dream. He stayed persistent. He grew. He got stronger. He believed in himself so fervently he searched the internet for a way to get his name out there.

His was the first name I thought of when I got an unsolicited follow on Twitter from a high school slot receiver/defensive back from Georgia a couple of weeks ago.

Ja'Leak Perry is a 5-9, 160-pound running back from Hebron Christian Academy  in Dacula, Georgia.

His best time in the 100 is 11.5, which puts him at a 40 time somewhere in the 4.7, 4.8 range. He's only a junior, class of 2019, so he still has time to improve.

Perry is serious about his football future. We had a long conversation after he sent me the highlight tape. "I feel that my strengths are being able to play any position on the field and my speed. I like to play fast and physically on the field and use my speed for a advantage."

"I'm trying to work on getting my weight up as much as possible to become a stronger player on the field."

He has a 3.2 G.P.A. and recognizes that football doesn't last forever. "Yes sir. Grades always come first," he said.

"I see myself playing cornerback at the next level , but I'll always be willing to play any position a coach will need me to play."

So far this season he has 32 tackles and an interception for the 4-3 Lions, who are coached by former NFL lineman Jeff Saturday, Peyton Manning's center and a 6-time Pro Bowler.

In a 29-7 win over Towns County in late September, Ja'Leak had five solo tackles and caught a touchdown pass.

It's hard to say how far Perry's football dream will take him. He has to grow a bit and get stronger and faster. He says he's improved the 40 time to 4.57, which is viable for a slotback or corner. He shows some burst and vision in the highlight film, and his willingness to send his highlight tape to an anonymous recruiting writer across the country shows initiative and an abiding love for the game.

The Ducks aren't likely to come calling. At present they have just 10 scholarship seniors completing their eligibility in 2019. Even with the predictable attrition, it's likely to be a small and select class. They already have one commitment for the year after next, 5-star wide receiver Arjei Henderson from Travis High School in Richmond, Texas. He's 6-2, 190, superbly fluid and explosively fast.

The takeaway for Duck fans here is that the Oregon brand still has magic. Kids love the uniforms, the style, and what was, before Justin Herbert's untimely injury, an explosive offense. They remember De'Anthony Thomas and LaMichael James, the sick spin moves and 0-to-60 touchdowns. They want to be part of that. There's still a lot to sell, as witnessed by Oregon's #6-ranked recruiting class coming off a 4-8 season.

The takeaway for me is that the fascinating, compelling part of this endeavor is telling stories about young men's dreams.  I hope Ja'Leak Perry makes it. Maybe he plays at Georgia Southern or The Citadel or Berry or LaGrange. It truly doesn't matter where, provided it gives him an opportunity to pursue his love of the game as far as it will take him. Hopefully he uses it as an opportunity to be engaged in the classroom as well and provide himself a foundation in life and a career.

It could be that Perry's football experience ends with a couple of touchdowns and a state playoff game as a high school senior. Or perhaps he grows an inch or two and improves his bench and squat, attends a camp next summer and catches a scout's eye, makes the roster at a Power 5 school and blossoms into an all-league player. We'll seek him out for an update down the road.