Jabbar Muhammad Details Oregon Commitment

So why was it Oregon for the 2023 All-Pac-12 cornerback?

"For the last year of my career I just think it's the best fit for me," he said. "It's a stable situation and I get to play with a defensive head coach which I've never done before. Just the ins and outs of the scheme is gonna put me in position to make plays. 

"Just Oregon. Just knowing what kind of market Oregon had up there. They're gonna market you. They're gonna do a good job promoting you and putting you out there. Just putting myself in the position to be drafted next year and just being able to play at the next level."

Muhammad chose Oregon from a top group that also included Texas and Alabama. While he visited each school, he had a feeling he was going to be Eugene bound based on the relentless effort from the coaching staff.

"Throughout the whole process, Coach (Dan) Lanning he was FaceTiming me, Coach Tosh (Lupoi) was FaceTiming, Coach Hamp (Chris Hampton) was FaceTiming and all these guys were calling me telling me their plans for me. I always had a feeling throughout the whole process. I always kind of knew where I wanted to be."

Having been in two college programs now (Oklahoma State, Washington), his recruitment was different from your typical high school recruit.

"When I got up there I was just kind of sold," he said upon reflection of his visit to Oregon. "I'm not a regular 18 year-old recruit. I'm looking at different things," Muhammad said. "I'm actually looking at the scheme. I'm actually looking at are we gonna be able to contend and be able to be in the final 12 next year? I'm looking at things like that. So when I saw that I'm like this is pretty much where I need to be."

The Oregon staff plans to primarily play him at cornerback, but with a player as talented as he is, he can help the defense in more ways than one.

"Move me around. Use me in ways, like I said put me in positions to make plays, move me around a little bit in the scheme. Kind of play at a lot of the positions in the back end. I'm gonna play corner. I'm gonna play nickel in certain situations."

The Oregon program checked all the boxes for him, from the scheme to the people and even the city of Eugene.

"The facilities are A1, second to none. The city, it's a small city, which is kind of cool for me because I'm a laid back guy. I really don't do too much but play ball, watch film and play some video games. So for a kid like me, that's kind of like a good city for me. It's a laid back city. And if you're all about football, that's what you come there for."

Dan Lanning and his coaching staff knocked the visit out of the park, also winning over the Muhammad family.

"The whole staff treated us like family and we were in love," Muhammad said. "It's kind of like being back in the South a little bit. There's some Southern people up there. Coach Lanning, he came from Georgia, so there's some people up there that welcomed us in with open arms. We kind of felt like we were at home."

Muhammad's signature celebration has been making waves through the Oregon program and its fanbase and the newest Duck loves how he's being embraced.

"It's kind of awesome that it's getting the recognition. As a kid I swear I prayed for a lot of this stuff. I prayed for it. To see it all come true, it's just nothing but a blessing. I see a lot of people doing it. The staff was coming up to me doing it, some of the players were coming up to me doing it. And it's just a lot of love man, and I'm really grateful for that. I'm grateful to be a part of something like that."

What kind of a cornerback are the Ducks adding to their defense in 2024?

"As far as my style of play I think I'm a really savvy corner. I'm aggressive at times. I know when to take my shots. I know when to lay back and let things come to me. But I'm aggressive. I like to be used in different ways. I think I have a skill set that is kind of elite. I feel like I'm one of the top in a country humbly speaking. I just think I'm a savvy corner who knows when to take chances, who wants to play the ball."

He ended the interview with a message to fans.

"I'm just ready to get to work honestly. For my last 9, 10 months of college before I try to go to the next level. I'm just ready to get to work. I'm gonna give everything I got to this university. I'm gonna stay the course. I'm ready to get there with the fellas. Meet everybody on the team, create a bond, create some camaraderie in the room and things like that. Stay blessed everybody."