Dan Lanning, Oregon Ducks Coaches Visit Four-Star Safety Recruit

EUGENE – Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning and his staff have been busy recruiting top players in the 2027 recruiting class since the college football season ended.

Several top recruits have posted pictures on social media alongside the Oregon coaching staff, which has made the rounds for at-home visits. Four-star safety Gavin Williams became the latest recruit to meet with Lanning and his staff.

Breaking Down Safety Gavin Williams’ Recruitment

oregon ducks dan lanning recruiting nil gavin williams safety secondary chris hampton tony tuioti big ten transfer portal — Nov 16, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning looks on during the third quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Williams has received over a dozen offers, including from Kentucky, Miami and Oklahoma. The Ducks extended an offer to Williams on March 3, 2025.

The four-star recruit has yet to make any official visits. He did make unofficial visits to USC and UCLA last March. He also had unofficial visits to Texas A&M and Washington back in the fall, as well as another unofficial visit to USC.

Thank you @CoachDanLanning for the visit! #GoDucks🦆 pic.twitter.com/eQVkaQKsCO
— Gavin Williams 4⭐️ (@gavinnwill) January 23, 2026

Williams is the No. 8-ranked safety by 247Sports and is the No. 12 player in the state of California. He recorded more than 40 tackles in both of his first two seasons at Damien high school. He also posted a total of five tackles for a loss, five pass breakups, three forced fumbles and nine interceptions between those two seasons.

He received a visit from Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman earlier in the week, before Lanning and his staff met with him. Williams posted a picture alongside Lanning, defensive line coach Tony Tuioti and defensive coordinator Chris Hampton on Friday.

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A Look into Oregon’s 2027 Recruiting Targets

The Ducks currently have one commitment from the 2027 recruiting class. Edge rusher Cameron Pritchett committed back in June and recently expressed his lack of desire to flip from the Ducks.

Williams isn’t the only recruit that Lanning recently visited. Lanning also paid Sierra Canyon safety Myles Baker a visit on Jan. 21, with Hampton and offensive line coach A’lique Terry also in attendance.

Terry visited offensive tackle Avery Michael, while Tuioti spent time with defensive tackle Elija Harmon, and linebackers coach Brian Michalowski saw Virginia linebacker recruit Noah Glover. Lanning also posted up with three-star offensive lineman Dajohn Yarborough. The staff also met with defensive lineman Montana Toilolo and Marcus Fakatou, while other recruits are set to appear in Eugene in the coming weeks.

Lanning has proven himself as an impressive recruiter since he took over as the Ducks’ head coach in 2022. He brought in three straight top-five recruiting classes. The 2026 recruiting class included five five-star recruits. Players in Lanning’s 2025 recruiting class proved their ability as true freshmen, with players like Oregon cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. and wide receiver Dakorien Moore earning starts.

Oregon is dealing with movement throughout its coaching staff. Former defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi and former offensive coordinator Will Stein took head coaching positions elsewhere. Hampton moves from his position as the defensive backs coach to the defensive coordinator, and Drew Mehringer becomes the offensive coordinator after serving as the tight ends coach.

Both Mehringer and Hampton are proven recruiters. The movement could still impact recruiting, with recruits potentially having closer connections with members of the old staff.