On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine: Oregon leading with a handful of major targets

After a pair of four-star commitments on Saturday, Oregon holds the No. 8 class in the On3 Industry Football Team Recruiting Rankings. And the Ducks are as hot as anyone on the recruiting trail right now.

Since April 1, Dan Lanning and Co. have secured eight commitments, including a pair of quarterbacks in Luke Moga and Michael Van Buren, as well as four-star cornerback Ify Obidegwu out of Baltimore, four-star safety Aaron Flowers out of Texas and four-star defensive lineman Xadavien Sims out of Oklahoma to name a few. While they’ve made some hay in traditional pipeline states like California, Washington and Arizona, the Ducks have also expanded their footprint nationally under Lanning. And it’s paying off.

“Lanning has created the culture players want to be in,” On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons said. “He has the background at Georgia, and even before that, at Alabama. He was part of a national championship team in Athens and he has combined what he learned from Kirby Smart to his own style, and then Oregon speaks for itself.

… They have a great blend of style, flash and now coaches with a winning mentality. He has put together a great staff that can recruit, coach and build relationships. Oregon is hot right now and I do not see them slowing down any time soon.”

With heavy buzz around the Ducks right now, here’s a few more names to keep an eye on over the next few months:

Oregon trending with coveted recruits

5-star EDGE Elijah Rushing
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 24
School: Tucson (Ariz.) Salpointe Catholic
On3 RPM: Oregon 71.9%, Arizona 9.5%, Notre Dame 4.1%, Tennessee 2.7%

The Skinny: As a junior last fall, Rushing was a monster for Salpointe Catholic, totaling 73 tackles, 13.5 tackles for a loss, 11.5 sacks and 59 hurries. That quickly made him one of the country’s top pass-rushers and coveted by teams across the nation. The Ducks though, have hosted him more than any out-of-state program, and Dan Lanning’s success developing defensive players dating back to his time at Georgia has made an impression.

“Along with coach (Tosh) Lupoi, he has NFL experience,” Rushing told On3’s Chad Simmons last month. “He coached in that Nick Saban defense for those years that they won all those championships. They both have good resumes and they know a lot about my position. It’s a great thing to hear if you’re an EDGE player.”

4-star LB Justin Williams
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 27
School: Conroe (Texas) Oak Ridge
On3 RPM: Oregon 97.9%, Texas A&M <1%

The Skinny: One of the nation’s top linebackers, Williams was named Texas District 13-6A Defensive Player of the Year as a junior after racking up 105 tackles, 18 tackles for a loss and 8.5 sacks. He has been a priority for in-state programs like Texas and Texas A&M, but On3’s top linebacker in the 2024 class has been to Oregon more than anywhere else in the past 10 months.

The Ducks are the furthest from home of any team he’s seriously considering, but that isn’t slowing things down.

“It was good to be back and it could be home and maybe I could really fit in there,” he told On3’s Sam Spiegelman after his most recent visit. “The coaches told me they were gonna make it happen — what I feel I do best, they want to make it happen and not just squeeze me into a scheme. … At first, I thought I would miss my mom, but it’s worth it if it happens. She loves Oregon, everything about it, and she knows I’m in the best hands and she trusts my judgment.”

4-star CB Dakoda Fields
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 90
School: Gardena (Calif.) Junipero Serra
On3 RPM: Oregon 95.3%, USC 3.8%

The Skinny: California, Miami, Oregon, Texas, USC, Ohio State and Washington all made Fields’ recent top seven schools list. But it’s largely expected to come down to the Ducks and Trojans for the elite California cornerback.

The Ducks and Trojans both have official visits locked in for the month of June, but Oregon has had a lot of success in Gardena historically. And Fields is trending in the direction of heading north for college.

4-star OT Jac’Qawn McRoy
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 180
School: Pinson (Ala.) Clay-Chalkville
On3 RPM: Oregon 92.7%, Kentucky 2.1%, Arkansas 1.8%

The Skinny: Schools across the SEC footprint are in pursuit of McRoy, but the Ducks have taken a major lead, according to the On3 RPM. After a trio of picks, including one each from Auburn insider Cole Pinkston and Florida insider Keith Niebuhr, things are looking good for Oregon right now.

“Oregon has been my dream school,” McRoy told On3 in February. “It is not about this, but I love how they wear different uniforms. I like the program and I like what they offer in sports management. That is what I want to major in. They have been one of the schools recruiting me hardest.”

4-star WR Dillon Gresham
On3 Industry Ranking: No. 445 (#213 in the On300)
School: San Jacinto (Calif.)
On3 RPM: Oregon 97.9%

The Skinny: The talented wideout could be the next to commit to Oregon, as he is scheduled to announce Monday at noon Eastern. Heading into the decision, the Ducks are trending heavily for the On300 prospect, who On3 rates as a four-star and the No. 37 wideout in the country.

“He’s one of the few coaches I would say is very much like a father figure,” Gresham told Scoop Duck previously of Lanning. “I mean my dad is great, I just meant he has some of those qualities. He’s got a great vibe and builds great bonds with his players and their families. I also saw some old teammates and guys I knew which made it fun too.”