The Hotline is delighted to provide Pac-12 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. 15 …
With National Signing Day in the rearview mirror for 2024, conference realignment set for the fall and, we think, the coaching carousel having come to a halt, the Hotline presents a look at key recruiting targets for each Pac-12 school for next winter.
Arizona
Target: OT Logan Powell, Phoenix (Ariz.)/Brophy Prep
Comment: Powell, the No. 2 recruit in the state in the class of 2025, is a key target for the Wildcats’ new coaching staff. It doesn’t hurt that his older brother, Tyler, plays tight end in Tucson.
Arizona State
Target: WR Raiden Vines-Bright, Bradenton (Fla.)/IMG Academy
Comment: Vines-Bright is a native Arizonan and played at Corona del Sol High School in Tempe before a recent move to IMG. His hometown school is trying not to let him get away.
California
Target: OL Jackson Lloyd, Carmel (Calif.)/Carmel
Comment: Lloyd may end up as the most heavily recruited player from the Monterey Peninsula region, but Cal was one of the first schools to pursue the four-star prospect — before his recruitment exploded.
Colorado
Target: LB Christian Thatcher, Las Vegas (Nev.)/Arbor View
Comment: Thatcher is the No. 1 defensive recruit in Nevada and the state’s highest-rated player who doesn’t attend powerhouse Bishop Gorman. Colorado offered his brother, a class-of-2027 quarterback, this week, and that moved the Buffs higher on Thatcher’s list. CU coach Deion Sanders has hit the transfer portal hard, but high school recruits haven’t been an emphasis. He has a great shot with Thatcher.
Oregon
Target: QB Akili Smith Jr., San Diego (Calif.)/Lincoln
Comment: The son of the former Oregon star is one of the top quarterbacks in the country and the No. 10 player (any position) in California. Smith oozes upside, and he’s passionate about the Ducks — a bonus in that he could be a pied piper who attracts other recruits.
Oregon State
Target: TE Baron Naone, West Linn (Ore.)/West Linn
Comment: The one-time Beaver commit opened up his recruitment after coach Jonathan Smith departed for Michigan State. But the four-star prospect — and the No. 1 player in the state in 2025 — still has Oregon State high on his board. His father, Charles, played for OSU.
Stanford
Target: QB Bear Bachmeier, Murrieta (Calif.)/Murrieta Valley
Comment: Bachmeier is already committed to the Cardinal as the school made it clear from the outset that he was a priority. His older brother, Tiger, played extensively as a true freshman for Stanford in 2023 even though he was originally recruited by the previous staff. But Bear Bachmeier has been the No. 1 target for Troy Taylor all along.
UCLA
Target: QB Husan Longstreet, Corona (Calif.)/Centennial
Comment: Longstreet was the first 2025 recruit to receive a scholarship offer under former head coach Chip Kelly, and you can bet he remains a priority for DeShaun Foster. He originally played for nearby Inglewood (Calif.) before moving to the Inland Empire.
USC
Target: QB Julian Lewis, Carrollton (Ga.)/Carrollton
Comment: Lewis is a USC commit, and the Trojans hope he doesn’t waver after reclassifying from the 2026 class to the 2025 group. Why the concern? Because Georgia is making a surge for him (as are others). USC’s staff has its work cut out.
Utah
Target: OT Aaron Dunn, Spanish Fork (Utah)/Spanish Fork
Comment: Dunn is the No. 1 player in Utah, and the Utes have had regular success luring the state’s top prospects — that is, until Brigham Young swooped in and signed the top player in 2024. So Kyle Whittingham and Co. would like Dunn to restart their momentum.
Washington
Target: LB Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, Spanaway (Wash.)/Bethel
Comment: Rainey-Sale was a Husky commit for all of four days. He pledged to UW on the afternoon of the national championship game, then de-committed at the end of the week when Kalen DeBoer left for Alabama. But the No. 1 recruit in the Evergreen State is still a major priority for the Huskies.
Washington State
Target: TE Kellan Ford, Danville (Calif.)/Monte Vista
Comment: Ford has ties to WSU through his father, Evan, who played for the Cougars. He also has ties to Washington, through his mom, and UCLA, through his sister. But Washington State was the school he watched growing up with his dad.
Related Articles
Big Ten football projections: How West Coast teams stack up for 2024
Best of the West: Mountain West race is a glorious, muddled mess
Pac-12 WBB: Pac-12 positioned for 5 of top 16 seeds in NCAA early look
After the fall: Pac-12 officially moving on from commissioner George Kliavkoff
Pac-12 finances: How SEC revenue lends context to projections
*** Send suggestions, comments and tips (confidentiality guaranteed) to [email protected] or call 408-920-5716
*** Follow Huffman on Twitter/X via @BrandonHuffman and support @AveryStrongDIPG
*** Follow me on Twitter/X: @WilnerHotline
*** Pac-12 Hotline is not endorsed or sponsored by the Pac-12 Conference, and the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference.
