Aydin Breland discusses his recruiting process, signing with Oregon Ducks
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00:00 >> I actually matched, so I matched to match as far as the Miami and
00:04 Oregon going into it.
00:05 It's just I feel like Oregon really separated itself when things fell into
00:10 place and my grandma wanted me to stay closer to home.
00:13 And it just ended up being the first one.
00:16 >> You saw a lot of Miami.
00:17 >> I definitely did.
00:18 I appreciate Chris Duvall.
00:19 I appreciate Jason Taylor.
00:20 And I appreciate Coach Joe Saladino for
00:24 putting all that effort into this.
00:27 And I love the genuine relationships we created and the good memories we shared.
00:30 >> Yeah, just talk me through, just being down there,
00:33 just what did you see from the program?
00:36 What direction do you feel like they're headed?
00:38 >> They're definitely bringing Miami back to what it was,
00:40 what it was, what it used to be.
00:44 And they changed the program, they changed the people around there.
00:47 The staff is so nice.
00:48 The players, they created a real- >> There were some A&M rumors down this
00:53 way.
00:54 >> Champion- >> How far along was that?
00:55 Was it a little overdone or was it something-
00:57 >> I mean, CPF attending team,
00:59 that's what they're trying to do.
01:01 They're trying to attend the playoffs.
01:04 They're definitely going to be there.
01:05 They're definitely going to be a team.
01:06 >> Was there ever a point in your process where you felt like you might have ended up,
01:09 and you thought like, hey- >> No, like I said,
01:11 they were all evenly matched towards the point where I can see myself at all these
01:14 groups.
01:15 >> For sure, and I talked to Dylan and I talked to Collin.
01:18 You were on that official visit weekend with them, I'm pretty sure, right?
01:21 >> Yes. >> Just talking about just the weekend
01:23 with all you guys, can you guys minimize me trying to sell you all the vision,
01:26 all the strong relationships you guys had together?
01:28 >> That was a big weekend.
01:29 That was, I might, that weekend, I was real close to being a hurricane, I remember.
01:34 Me and Dylan was there, David Stone was there, and we had a bunch of fun.
01:39 Collin Simmons was there, everybody, we was really all talking about going there
01:43 for a second.
01:43 It was a great weekend.
01:45 They did real good food cooking that weekend, I remember.
01:48 >> Collin said that him and Dylan had a conversation about potentially
01:51 finishing first hand where they keep saying, when's the next Jake Clemson
01:53 receiver coming in?
01:54 We could all just go do this.
01:55 >> Yeah, we were all talking about going to Clemson, how much do you feel that
01:59 you're taking personally or maybe excite you about, hey,
02:02 they are getting a side start receiver now.
02:05 >> I just wanted to ask about that, I appreciate you back, good luck.
02:08 >> You're an honor of these visits, man, and you talk to all these coaches.
02:13 What was the strangest recruiting pitch that you heard?
02:15 >> The strangest recruiting pitch that I've heard?
02:18 >> Just one that stood out in your mind.
02:20 >> All that, I call you more than I call my wife.
02:26 >> [LAUGH] >> That was weird.
02:29 That was weird to me.
02:30 I'm not gonna say who said that one, but that was weird to me.
02:32 >> [INAUDIBLE] >> Just a little bit, that's concerning.
02:35 >> [INAUDIBLE]
02:38 >> You look at the transfer right now,
02:39 and it's a lot of players are transferring that they wouldn't have expected to do so
02:43 out of high school.
02:44 The portal and it's just existence and now how many players are using it.
02:49 >> Did that impact your decision at all?
02:51 >> Was it November?
02:53 >> No, not really.
02:54 I think the only time we ever really thought of it was just a big thought of,
02:59 hey, if this one doesn't work out, we can always, that's the only thing we ever
03:03 thought about it, but otherwise it never really crossed our minds.
03:07 >> What led you to Oregon at the end of your recruitment?
03:11 >> My grandmother had recently been in the hospital and
03:15 she was saying that she didn't want me to go too far away so
03:17 she could get to the game without having to go through a lot of strenuous travel.
03:23 So, and Oregon was already a real good home close fit for me and
03:27 that just put the icing on the cake for me.
03:29 It was just stay home, let grandma come to a couple games.
03:32 I feel like she'd rather a two hour fight than a seven to five hour fight.
03:35 You know what I'm saying?
03:35 So, it made more sense.
03:37 >> At the end of the process, for a full signing day,
03:40 did any teams really try to flip you?
03:43 >> I feel like they not right before, but
03:46 I feel like currently after I committed, they were a little bit more consistent.
03:49 >> Any particular ones?
03:52 >> Miami and Auburn.
03:57 Auburn was in the- >> Had you visited Auburn already?
04:00 >> No, not really.
04:01 >> So, no- >> Auburn was just all over the phone.
04:04 >> Wow, okay.
04:07 >> Give me your 22nd personality check of Dan Lanning.
04:12 If you were talking to somebody, didn't know him at all,
04:14 what would you say to try to explain Dan?
04:17 >> Coach Dan, in 20 seconds, I feel like he's a real personable guy.
04:25 He's real relatable and he's definitely very educated.
04:30 You can have all the conversations you want with that man.
04:35 He's very versatile, for sure, for sure.
04:37 >> DeAndre Carter, obviously you know him.
04:42 >> Yes.
04:43 >> Best attribute about DeAndre would be what?
04:47 When you go against- >> Personality wise or just-
04:51 >> Let's talk pads first.
04:52 >> On the field?
04:54 >> Like when you go against him, you have to be wary of or else you're in trouble.
04:58 >> The vice grip.
04:59 If he gets his hands on you first, it's gonna be hard to get him off you.
05:03 That's for sure, that's for sure.
05:06 Them big hands, once they grab, they don't let go.
05:08 >> [LAUGH] >> They don't let go.
05:11 >> What is it about him that you think gives him the best chance to ascend at
05:15 Auburn?
05:16 Obviously, he's talented.
05:17 >> His athleticism at his size.
05:18 I know people talk about my athleticism at my size, but
05:21 I feel like him being taller and heavier and
05:23 being able to do the things he's capable of doing sometimes.
05:26 I feel like that's really hard, or being able to get to a spot or
05:29 recover on something that another tackle might not have been able to recover on.
05:34 >> What do you think that you need to work on the most to make an impact at Oregon?
05:39 Not just some special teams, but get some reps on first and tens.
05:44 >> I feel like really for me working on just,
05:49 maybe I really wanna focus on my pad level and my physicality.
05:55 Just coming in as a freshman and early grad, I just wanna focus on my pad level,
05:59 my physicality, and the fundamentals.
06:01 >> What's your height, weight right now?
06:03 >> Right now, I'm currently 6'5" and 287 pounds.
06:08 >> Did you play at over 300 at any point?
06:10 You did, didn't you?
06:11 >> Yeah, my freshman year I was 330 pounds.
06:15 My sophomore year I dropped down to 270, then I went back up to 3 for a little bit.
06:21 I've raised it in the 300 to 275 pound range.
06:26 My sophomore year I dropped all that weight though.
06:29 >> You most comfortable where you're at now?
06:31 >> 285 to 290 is looking like the nice range,
06:35 because as I've been through three off seasons and went into fall camp,
06:39 I feel like 285 is when I'm looking my meanest, my most cut.
06:42 And by the same time, I have my mass and
06:44 my size to where I'm not getting thrown around the field.
06:48 >> Excellent.