USC is also close in his recruitment, and the Oregon Ducks are the top darkhorse. Redfield’s decommitment from USC meant more interest in Oregon, due to Chip Kelly’s rule that committed prospects cannot visit Oregon. Redfield reportedly has an official visit lined up to Eugene this weekend.

Matt Cashore-US PRESSWIRE

The Ohio State Buckeyes have also emerged as a team that is still involved in his recruitment, and it will be interesting to see if he decided to plan a visit to Columbus. It looks like it will take an extremely impressive visit for another program to land the four-star prospect, because ND is going to be tough to beat.

The top 50 recruit is one of the top five safeties in the nation, and most recruiting sites regard him as the third best recruit in the state of California. The Mission Viejo star could still end up at Oregon, but the Trojans might have a better shot at landing him. The thing is, his recruitment is somewhat intertwined with the recruitment of fellow top safety Leon McQuay III. He has USC and Oregon among his finalists, and a commitment to either school could change the complexity of Redfield’s recruitment.

However, McQuay is expected to decide on his school after Redfield, so that should not affect Redfield’s decision much at all. Some say that it helps give Notre Dame an edge, but I don’t buy it at all. Redfield isn’t going to pick a school based on what McQuay will do, especially since Oregon and USC would be fine with having Redfield anyone and don’t have their eyes specifically set on one or the other.

But Notre Dame is the favorite right now, and it’s going to take a considerable effort from a school like Oregon to land him. All eyes will be peeled on the Stanford game, because that’s likely Redfield’s visit date to Eugene. The Ducks would love to land Redfield, who would be a perfect fit to their defense with his terrific coverage ability. He’s a fast, instinctive safety with plenty of ball skills and could very well be the best coverage safety in the 2013 recruiting class.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.

While Washington isn’t a major player in Redfield’s recruitment yet, it will be interesting to see if UW can do anything to change things in his recruitment. At this point, it seems like bitter rivals USC and ND are the two most likely destination points. Oregon definitely has a shot at landing the top five safety, and the fact that he decommitted is a big clue. Recruits committed to other teams are almost never allowed to take visits to Eugene, so Redfield’s decision to decommit likely means that he is weighing the Oregon offer heavily.

Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE

One of the top 40 recruits in the 2013 class, Redfield is the third-ranked recruit in the state of California. Where he decides to go could very well shape the landing spot for Leon McQuay III, who is ranked just one spot ahead of Redfield in the safety rankings. McQuay will be officially visiting USC next month after taking an official trip to Oregon last week, so the recruitments of both elite safeties are closely intertwined.

The 6’3″, 195 pound Mission Viejo standout has elite speed and ball skills at the safety position. Redfield could also go to LSU, but USC and Notre Dame are viewed as the two teams in the best position to land him. Both LSU and Washington have outside chances, while Oregon is the third serious contender to land the heavily contested prospect.

2013 kicker/punter Jonathan King is on an unofficial visit to the South Carolina Gamecocks, and he has traveled to South Carolina before back in June whilst camping there. King has also camped at Alabama and Tennessee, and the Knoxville recruit has received plenty of SEC interest. The Oregon Ducks showed interest in King, but they already have Matt Wogan in the 2013 class.

Kentucky, Auburn, Notre Dame, UCLA, and Ohio State have also shown interest in King, who is still searching for his first offer.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.

Could Max Redfield fill the shoes of Oregon’s previous leader on defense, John Boyett? Mandatory Credit: Chris Morrison-US PRESSWIRE

USC’s weekend got worse after losing to the Ducks 62-51. Max Redfield, a four-star recruit and top five safety in the 2013 recruiting class, officially decommitted from the university a day after.

With an upcoming official visit to Washington this Saturday, is a visit on the way to Oregon for the 6-foot-3, 195-pound recruit?

Perhaps. Oregon is included in his top three schools along with USC and Notre Dame. He took an official visit with the Fighting Irish back on October 13th. All three schools have given him an offer.

Other schools around the Pac-12 that have given an offer are Arizona, Arizona State, California, Colorado, UCLA, and Utah. Notable schools include Oklahoma, Nebraska, Boise State, LSU, and Tennessee.

This would be a big pickup for the Ducks if Redfield is interested. The Ducks are looking for a safety that’s ready to start after John Boyett. Chris Seisay, who committed back on June 26th, would likely be the starter if needed.

Redfield ranks 44th overall in 247sports’ Top 247, 36th in the ESPN 150, and 31st in the Rivals 100. He also ranks in the top three overall in the state of California across most recruiting services. In comparison, Seisay is ranked as the 47th safety overall and 82nd-best athlete in California, according to 247sports.

Brian Spaen is the lead editor for Autzen Zoo. See his banter with other FanSided writers and love for his favorite west coast professional teams by following him on Twitter.

Read his other work on the Iowa State blog, Clones Confidential, and Lacrosse the Web.