ScoopDuck Eval: Kingston Lopa

On Sunday the Ducks made another splash on the recruiting trail. This time on the defensive side of the ball at safety.

Grant Union (Calif.) safety Kingston Lopa committed to Oregon over Washington and others. He’s a rangy athlete that could really become a strong enforcer in the back end of the defense for Dan Lanning and Tosh Lupoi.

For more on this latest 2024 addition, we turn to QB11 for a deeper look at the four-star from Nor Cal.

——————————————————————————————————————–Kingston Lopa
6’4 190lb, Safety
Sacramento, CA

Grant Union High in Sacramento has been an elusive program for Oregon over the years. Players like Shaq Thompson come to mind as painful losses from the Sacramento power house. Kingston Lopa serves as a course correction and an excellent pickup for new Safeties coach, Chris Hampton. Now with both Lopa and Flowers in the boat Oregon is in prime position to only take a must-take prospect or hold pat with the two blue chippers currently in the class of 2024.

Athletically Lopa is a really long and toolsy prospect. At 6’4 and 190 he has great length and range to play deep safety while also having adequate size to come down and run the alley or be a force defender in the run game. Lopa has good trigger which is the sum of excellent instincts and + reactive quickness. Lopa is a strider who can get from centerfield to the numbers in a hurry. Lopa is a physical finisher with good explosiveness at the point of contact.

The question athletically is how will Lopa’s size/athleticism scale as he grows into his frame. Will he stay lean and gain explosiveness to stay at Safety and be a bigger Bryan Addison? Or will he become to muscle bound to play S and slide down to linebacker like Jamal Hill? I tend to lean toward him being a true safety, his WR film and ball skills are impressive and combined with his instinctive skillset make me think he’s a fully dimensional safety prospect.

In terms of a comp on the high end you’d hope he could develop into a player like Ronnie Harrison from Bama a few years ago. A big enforcer safety who despite not being as fluid in man coverage has tremendous range and instincts to play deep zones. I really like this pickup and think he’s an excellent skillset compliment to Flowers.

Go Ducks!
-QB11

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