Blake Purchase, Colorado’s No. 1 football prospect in the class of 2023, is bound for Oregon.
Purchase, the senior outside linebacker and edge rusher at Cherry Creek, announced his collegiate choice on Tuesday evening via a news conference screened live on 247Sports.com’s YouTube channel.
The Bruins senior, who was rated as a four-star recruit by 247’s composite rankings and the No. 34 edge-rushing prospect in his class, selected the Ducks over Notre Dame, Iowa State, Washington and CU.
Purchase said it was Oregon that swung him with “great people, great staff, who can really help me get to the next (pro) level.”
The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Purchase had received offers from 18 FBS programs as of mid-August — a group that included CU, CSU, Iowa State, Oregon, USC, Washington, California, Arizona State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech, Washington State and Nebraska.
As is standard for most televised college commitment announcements, Purchase made his choice with hats of his final five school choices on the table in front of him — Notre Dame, CU, Washington, Oregon and Iowa State — before he reached for the Ducks cap and put it on his head.
Purchase also revealed a green Oregon T-shirt underneath the black sweatshirt he wore to begin his presentation.
The Bruins star said it was a “tough decision” not to play with his brother Myles at Iowa State, but added he felt that, in Eugene, that he “definitely found (his) place.”
Purchase made official visits to Iowa State — where his older brother is a sophomore defensive back — as well as to Oregon, Washington and Cal.
“(What I’m looking for) really is where the edge rusher is a big thing in their defensive scheme,” Purchase told The Denver Post last month when asked about his criteria.
“Also, the culture of the program. I’m trying to go somewhere that even if they’re not winning right now, they really want to win — and you can tell at practice, the way the players act and the way the players talk.”
Purchase also told The Post that picking a school where he felt he would be most likely to remain for his entire undergraduate eligibility — despite the freedoms provided by the transfer portal — was among his top remaining benchmarks.
“My biggest fear in the whole recruiting process, and it still could absolutely happen, is de-committing,” Purchase said.
“And I felt the earlier I committed, the greater likelihood you’re flipping to a different college (later). That’s my biggest fear, is just de-committing. That’s why, when (I) give my school my word, I want to stay true to that.”
As a junior, Purchase recorded 12 sacks and 18 tackles for losses in helping to lead Creek to a third straight state title last fall.
