MISSION VIEJO, California — LeVar Talley is already emerging as one of the underclassmen to know about in Southern California for the 2024 recruiting cycle. The 6-foot-3 recruit from Santa Margarita Catholic in Rancho Santa Margarita is projected to be an edge rusher at the next level, but as he continues to put on weight he has worked as an outside linebacker for his team this offseason.

Talley has shined when getting the opportunity to play defensive end at campus throughout the first half of the year leading to several Power Five offers from around the country. Talley is still getting a feel for the direction of his recruitment, since he is still only a rising junior, but he likes the direction of the process so far.

“It’s been really wild,” he said Saturday at the South County passing tournament in Southern California. “It’s showing how much my offseason work has been proving. It’s been really wild. This journey has been really good. ... Mostly just been blessed with this hard work and journey.”

Oregon and Fresno State are the two schools that recently jumped in with offers to the high three-star recruit and he made a trip out to Oregon last month. Prior to that his other major spring visit was to Boulder where Talley was able to learn a lot about what Colorado has to offer as an option.

The April visit to CU left Talley with a strong impression of the Buffaloes, and he is looking forward to making a return trip at some point.