Oregon makes a big move for 2024 On3 Top-20 DL Williams Nwaneri

In June, Williams Nwaneri visited Alabama, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Each visit was a positive one for the No. 17 prospect in the 2024 On300, but the one visit in July made a significant impression on Nwaneri.

That visit was to Oregon.

The 6-foot-6, 240-pound defensive lineman out of Lee’s Summit (Mo.) North saw Eugene for the first time. He saw the campus, he met with the coaches, and worked out at the Oregon camp.

The Ducks made a strong first impression.

“Oregon made a big move up my list after this visit,” Nwaneri told On3. “Getting on campus, getting a feeling for everything, and meeting the coaches showed me a lot about Oregon.

“There is a good balance there. The people are genuine, the vibe was cool, and I got a good look at what it would be like to play football and live there.

“There wasn’t one thing that really stood out the most, it was everything. Oregon is not just football, but it is a great environment. I like the overall feeling there.”

Nwaneri met with Dan Lanning in his office. He liked his energy. The two have connected well too, being that Lanning is from Missouri. It was defensive line coach Tony Tuioti that the No. 2 defensive lineman in the country bonded the most.

“I really like how coach Tony worked with me. He is a real teacher. He takes the time to teach, break things down, and help you understand. If you make a mistake, he takes the time to explain, and I liked that.

“It was great working with him, getting to know him, and seeing him in action.”

Nwaneri is taking his time with his recruitment

Early in the summer, Nwaneri spoke highly of Alabama. He has numerous schools on his list that he is interested in. The elite defensive lineman is in no hurry.

“By the end of the season, I should be ready to start thinking about top schools,” Nwaneri said. “This season will be big for me. I want to see who is genuine, see who communicates with me, and just see who gets to know me. It is not about selling me a picture or anything like that, it is about what coaches are genuine. That will help me make a list of top schools.”

Nwaneri will be watching how schools play this season too. He wants to fit into a school and play for a winning program.

After trimming his list down and taking some official visits, he is expecting a decision.

“Around this time next year, I should be ready to commit. It is about going deeper than football for me, so I will be looking around a lot this season and next spring.”